Reconfigurable Payload Systems (RPS) For Aircraft And Methods Related Thereto

ABSTRACT

Reconfigurable payload systems (RPS) and methods of configuring and using the same are disclosed that may be employed to enable external aircraft payloads to be rapidly interchanged or swapped out together with associated internal equipment within a given aircraft so as to modify or change payload capability of the aircraft, e.g., to meet a particular mission and/or to enable use of future payload types as they are developed. The RPS and associated methods may be implemented to allow multiple different payload systems to be swapped in and out on a given aircraft as required based on needs for a given mission.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/931,538, filed on Jan. 24, 2014 and entitled“Reconfigurable Payload Systems (RPS) For Aircraft and Methods RelatedThereto”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety forall purposes.

The present application is related in subject matter toconcurrently-filed PCT International Patent Application number ______entitled “Reconfigurable Payload Systems (RPS) For Aircraft and MethodsRelated Thereto” by Hodge et al., and to concurrently-filed U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______ entitled “Reconfigurable Payload Systems(RPS) With Operational Load Envelopes For Aircraft and Methods RelatedThereto” by Hodge et al., each of which is filed on the same date as thepresent application and which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to aircraft and, more particularly, toreconfigurable payload systems (RPS) for aircraft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic payloads are regularly attached to fixed wing and rotary wingaircraft for various civilian and military purposes. Examples of suchpayloads include visual and infrared sensors for law enforcement andfire fighting purposes, as well as intelligence gathering equipment suchas signals intelligence, optical systems and multi-spectral sensorsemployed for purposes of conducting surveillance of targets, andprotection of personnel. Conventional installations of such systems canbe characterized as unique single-point design solutions that aresingle-purposed in that they are each built to satisfy a specificpayload solution requirement, and are the current method forimplementing aircraft modifications to install payloads. Suchconventional solutions employ a point design solution design approach inwhich payload loads (inertial and aerodynamic) induced upon the aircraft(usually fuselage structure) are specifically defined by thecharacteristics of the payload and any associated aerodynamic fairing(s)and are specific to the payload(s) being attached to the aircraft. TheBeechcraft King Air 350, as well as many other types of fixed wing androtary wing aircraft types are frequently modified using suchsingle-point solutions that only meet a specific solution intent for acustomer, thus driving increased costs and extended time schedules whenpayload modifications are required, e.g., due to new technology anddiffering payload capability requirements that are ever evolving.

Payload point design loads are considered by Stress and MechanicalStructures Aerospace Engineers during conventional design methods todevelop specific structural components uniquely designed and qualifiedto safely couple the loads into the aircraft during flight operations.These structural components are then manufactured and the aircraft ismodified with these structural components to provide mounting provisionsto accept the payload(s). The aircraft can then be safely operated underflight operations while carrying the payload(s). Such aircraftmodifications are also often performed as part of an FAA SupplementalType Certificate (STC) or Field Modification process. The analysis dataand design details produced by the Stress and Mechanical StructuresAerospace Engineers is considered by FAA representatives such as aDesignated Engineering Representative (DER), Aircraft CertificationOffice (ACO) or Organization Designation Authority (ODA) Unit Member inorder to determine that the design is properly substantiated forairworthiness and determined to meet safety of flight criteria.

In a manner synonymous to the Stress and Mechanical Structure design,Electrical Aerospace Engineers typically consider the electricalinterface requirements of the payload, and design a specific electricalinterface design. The Aerospace Engineers apply common practice designmethods to create a point design solution for fuselage penetrations forthe required electrical interface connectors.

These structural and electrical interface designs are sufficient to meetthe specific requirements of a specific payload installation. If thereis a subsequent requirement to significantly alter the payload such thatthe current point design solution design no longer accommodates themass, size, shape, or other characteristics of the altered payload; themethod process previously described is repeated. Since the aircraft hasalready been modified with certain payload provisions, often is the casethat the previously described design methodology will be complicatedbecause of the impact of the currently installed aircraft modifications.In this regard, previously installed aircraft modifications may requireremoval and replacement with new structures in order to meet the alteredpayload requirements. Some previously installed aircraft modificationsmay be difficult to remove or remove, modify, and reinstall withoutplacing the aircraft structure at additional risk for damage duringhands-on work. In occurrence of such cases, the process can becomeunusually costly in expense and schedule.

A unique support structure has been attached using fittings to anaircraft fuselage to provide a “single point” solution for mounting acorresponding unique given payload to the aircraft. A differentlyconfigured custom support structure having custom mounting holes for agiven sensor is required for each different type of sensor(s) orpayload(s). A new stress analysis and engineering design of the supportstructure, payload mounting provisions, fuselage fittings, and fuselagestructural reinforcement is required to obtain a new or amended STC fromthe FAA prior to allowed use of each different sensor and itscorresponding aircraft support structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein are reconfigurable payload systems (RPS) and methods ofconfiguring and using the same that may be employed in one embodiment toenable external aircraft payloads (e.g., such as environmentalmonitoring and intelligence gathering equipment, etc.) to be rapidlyinterchanged or swapped out together with associated internal equipmentwithin a given aircraft so as to modify or change payload capability ofthe aircraft, e.g., to meet a particular mission and/or to enable use offuture payload types for a fixed wing or rotary aircraft as they aredeveloped. In such an embodiment, the disclosed systems and methods maybe advantageously implemented on virtually any type of aircraft for awide variety of applications external to the aircraft, allowing multipledifferent payload systems to be swapped in and out on a given aircraftas required based on needs for a given mission, saving time and expenseover conventional single point design solutions. The disclosedreconfigurable payload systems and methods may be advantageouslyemployed in one embodiment to rapidly configure and reconfigure aircraftmission technology based on changing per-mission requirements, allowingaircraft operators to share smaller quantities of sensor technology(i.e., sensors) and/or other types of payload devices since the payloaddevices may be distributed and changed (swapped) between RPS-equippedaircraft.

As described further herein, a Reconfigurable Payload System (RPS) maybe provided in various embodiments that may include one or more of thefollowing features (alone or in any combination): 1) a RPS may bemanifested on the aircraft as an enveloped loads design solution methodrather than as a single-purpose, point design loads design solution; 2)payload attachment features including a single-rail or parallelmulti-rail mounting structure may be employed (e.g., with optionalpayload-to-rail mounting RPS payload adapters) to install various andinterchangeable working payloads on a first set of rails (e.g., an innerset of rails) and to install interchangeable aerodynamic fairings on asecond set of rails (e.g., an outer set of rails); 3) payload attachmentfeatures including a single or multi-section mounting adapter which hasa payload rail, parallel rails and/or payload hardpoints may be employed(e.g., with optional payload-to-rail mounting RPS payload adapters) toinstall various and interchangeable working payloads on a rail or a setof rails (and/or a hardpoint or a set of hardpoints) and to installinterchangeable aerodynamic fairings; and/or 4) a quick-disconnectelectrical interface device that may be employed to interface externalaircraft payloads to internal aircraft equipment.

In one exemplary embodiment, an RPS mounting adapter may have payloadrails and hardpoints provided as a common feature. In such anembodiment, the rails and hardpoints may be further optionallyconfigured with regularly-spaced fastener locations for attachingpayloads to the RPS mounting adapter mounting structure. In oneembodiment, a RPS mounting adapter (e.g., configured as a baseplate) maybe configured with regularly-spaced rails and regularly-spaced railfastener locations, as well as regularly-spaced hardpoints and hardpointfastener locations, such that both rail and hardpoint spacing and railand hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across a givenbaseplate section, as well as across multi-section baseplate components.Such a configuration allows a standardized rail and hardpoint fastenerlocation spacing and a standardized rail and hardpoint spacing to beimplemented in one exemplary embodiment, e.g., as an Interface ControlDocument (ICD) that defines and standardizes configuration (e.g.,spacing and/or size of rail and hardpoint fasteners) of these rail andhardpoint mounting provisions. Such an ICD or other type of standardizedspacing specification advantageously may be implemented to allow payloadmanufacturers and vendors to design and manufacture payload packageswhich comply with the standardized rail and hardpoint spacingspecification, and therefore that will fit any aircraft provided withRPS mounting adapter component/s that are configured with mounting railand hardpoint fastener location spacing as well as rail and hardpointspacing according to the standardized specification defined in the ICD,e.g., to allow a payload package design effort that is deterministic andcommon for designing a payload package.

In one embodiment, a RPS may be uniquely configured using an envelopedloads design methodology which is largely agnostic to the specifics ofthe particular payload(s). In this embodiment, enveloped loads may beestablished that accommodate a breadth of payloads to include inertialand aerodynamic loads. Application of such an enveloped loads designmethodology together with implementation of other mechanical and/orelectrical aspects of a RPS may be employed to achieve significantadvantages over conventional single point design solutions where pointdesign loads for a specific payload alone are established. For example,RPS enveloped loads (e.g., inertial or aerodynamic) may in one exemplaryembodiment be distributed on a single or multi-rail RPS structure (orsingle or multi-section RPS structure) in terms of loads per unit lengthto provide the Aerospace Engineer an additional advantage and means ofdistributing large loads (e.g., usually inertial loads from high densitypayloads) along a RPS rail or hardpoint structure thereby remainingwithin the established RPS envelope loads design. In one embodiment, RPSrail and hardpoint structures located on the mounting adapter may beconfigured to provide regularly spaced fastener provisions for mountingof payloads, e.g., with such spacing being specified by an ICD.

Advantageously, such an enveloped loads design method may be employed inconjunction with unique structural and/or electrical interface featuresof an RPS for a given aircraft or aircraft type to allow a multitude ofpayloads to be installed and/or interchanged on a given RPS-equippedaircraft with a substantial reduction in effort in analysis and designburden upon Stress, Mechanical Structures, and Electrical AerospaceEngineers. In this regard, a simplified verification of compliance withan established RPS loads envelope may be used to substantially reducethe effort required by Stress Aerospace Engineering to enableinstallation of new and/or different payloads. A relatively simplepayload-to-rail or payload-to-hardpoint mounting RPS payload adapterdesign may also be provided to substantially reduce the design effortrequired by Mechanical Aerospace Engineering. A RPS quick-disconnectelectrical interface device may be further provided to simplify designof specific payload electrical or other types of payload interface lines(e.g., hydraulic lines, liquid coolant lines for heat exchange cooling,etc.) associated with various payload/s, further reducing the requireddesign effort by Mechanical and Electrical Aerospace Engineering.Moreover, in one exemplary embodiment, an RPS configured according tothe enveloped design methodology and approved under an STC may beadvantageously employed to allow multiple different payloads to beinstalled and/or interchanged on a given RPS-equipped aircraft withoutrequiring a new or amended STC.

In one embodiment, a quick disconnect payload interface device (e.g.,panel) may be employed to more easily modify the mechanical aspects ofelectrical interfaces when changing payloads, especially compared to thesingle-point solution method. In this regard, a RPS quick-disconnectpayload interface device installed on an aircraft may be used to enableelectrical and other types of payload interfaces associated withpayloads to be relatively quickly and easily redefined for differingpayloads. In one exemplary embodiment, a quick disconnect payloadinterface device may include a disconnect plug block that may beredefined to accommodate different harnesses without necessarilydisturbing the aircraft structure and the body structure of the RPSquick-disconnect electrical interface device.

In one embodiment, a RPS may incorporate a parallel multi-rail (e.g.,dual-rail pair) structural configuration which transfers the load of thepayload and associated aerodynamic fairings to the aircraft structure.In another exemplary embodiment, a RPS may incorporate a single ormulti-section mounting adapter which has a structural configuration ofpayload rail, parallel payload rails and/or payload hardpoints thattransfers the load of the payload and associated aerodynamic fairings tothe aircraft structure through fuselage fittings. In such an embodiment,the fuselage fittings may be designed and configured for load capabilityas part of the envelope load method. Fuselage fittings may bedistributed on the belly of the aircraft fuselage individually and maybe installed and removed individually. In one embodiment, the fuselagefittings may be grouped together in a modular manner for the purpose ofsupporting the single or multi-section mounting adapter. For example,four (4) fuselage fittings may be installed with a mounting adapter tocomplete a module.

In the practice of the disclosed systems and methods, an individual RPSpayload rail, sets of parallel rails and/or payload hardpoints and setsof payload hardpoints may be employed and/or dedicated for differentpurposes (e.g., mounting payloads versus mounting fairings to theaircraft). In one embodiment, hardpoints, rails and parallel multi-railstructures (e.g., such as RPS single or multi-section mounting adapterwith a payload rail, parallel payload rails and/or payload hardpoints)may be installed on an aircraft and used as a common structure formechanically coupling various different payload/s and various fairingsof different configuration to the aircraft. Advantageously, a variety ofdifferent payloads may be coupled to the aircraft via the same RPShardpoint, rail or multi-rail structure (e.g., such as single ormulti-section mounting adapter with a payload rail, parallel payloadrails and/or payload hardpoints) despite having different payloadweights, different payload dimensions, and/or having different payloadpurposes or functions. Moreover, individual payloads and fairings may beinterchanged and/or different combinations of multiple payloads andfairings may be installed to the aircraft via the same RPS hardpoint,rail or multi-rail structure (e.g., such as single or multi-sectionmounting adapter with a payload rail, parallel payload rails and/orpayload hardpoints), in one exemplary embodiment with substantially nofurther structure modification to the aircraft and/or without need forobtaining additional certification such as STC.

In one exemplary configuration, a RPS multi-rail structure may include afirst set (e.g., pair) of parallel outer rails that surround a secondset (e.g., pair) of parallel inner rails. The first set of innerparallel rails may be employed for attaching or otherwise mountingpayloads to the aircraft, while the second and different set of outerparallel rails may be employed for mounting aerodynamic fairing/s ofselected configuration to at least partially cover or enclose thepayload/s mounted to the first set of inner rails. However, it will beunderstood that payloads are not limited to installation only on thefirst set of inner rails and that aerodynamic fairings are not limitedto installation on the second set of outer rails. Additionally, certainpayloads may not require an associated aerodynamic fairing for aircraftflight. In such cases, payloads may be mounted to the first set of innerrails and/or second set of outer rails, without installation of anaerodynamic fairing.

In another exemplary configuration, a RPS single or multi-sectionmounting adapter may include a payload rail, parallel payload railsand/or payload hardpoints. The payload rail, parallel payload railsand/or payload hardpoints may be employed for attaching or otherwisemounting payloads to the aircraft. The single or multi-section mountingadapter may be employed for mounting aerodynamic fairing/s of selectedconfiguration to at least partially cover or enclose the payload/s.However, it will be understood that payloads are not limited toinstallation only on the single or multi-section mounting adapter.Payloads and/or aerodynamic fairings may also be installed, for example,directly to fuselage fittings. As described above, certain payloads maynot require an associated aerodynamic fairing for aircraft flight. Insuch cases, payloads may be mounted to the single or multi-sectionmounting adapter of fuselage fittings, without installation of anaerodynamic fairing.

In addition to multi-rail RPS structural configurations (e.g., includingmultiple matching sets or pairs of rails), it will be understood that aRPS may be implemented in one embodiment using a single rail or with asingle pair of rails. In the latter case, a first rail may employed formounting payloads to an aircraft, while the second rail may be employedfor mounting an aerodynamic fairing to the aircraft. Moreover, oddnumbers of rails may also be employed (e.g., for a total of three rails,a total of five rails, etc.). Moreover, in addition to a single mountingadapter, it will be understood that a RPS may be implemented in oneembodiment using a single mounting adapter or a multi-section mountingadapter. It will also be understood that a payload may be mounted to asingle payload rail or to a pair of payload rails, or to a payloadhardpoint or to multiple payload hardpoints, or to a combination ofpayload rails or payload hardpoints or to any combination of payloadrails and/or hardpoints.

Thus, it will be understood that an RPS may be implemented using anynumber of rails and/or hardpoints that are suitable for allowingaircraft payloads to be installed and interchanged in the mannerdescribed herein. Moreover, it will also be understood that all railsand/or mounting adapters of a given RPS solution do not need to have thesame configuration, but may have different lengths, different mountingprofiles, different forward and aft mounting positions, etc. differingmechanical mounting configurations/requirements. Additionally,individual RPS rails and rails of a RPS mounting adapter are notrequired to be monolithic at aircraft installation, e.g., certainpayload requirements may only require a sub-section length of one ormore RPS rails, and shorter sub-sections may be employed as long as thepayload induced loads during flight operations fall within theestablished design loads envelope.

In a further embodiment, one or more payload adapter apparatus may beprovided to mechanically interface between a common RPS rail (e.g.,multi-rails), mounting adapter (e.g., including a payload rail, parallelpayload rails and/or payload hardpoints) structure and specific payloads(or particular specific types or classes of payloads) that havedifferent mechanical mounting configurations/requirements. Such payloadadapters may in one embodiment be design-specific to a given payloadhaving particular (unique) mounting configuration/requirements, andcombinations of such payload adapters may be employed during a givenaircraft configuration (e.g., to meet specifics of a mission flight) toallow mounting of various different types of payloads simultaneously ona common RPS mounting adapter component and to allow replacement orinterchange with a second different payload having differing mechanicalmounting configurations/requirements, e.g., between back-to-backmissions. Alternatively such payload adapters may be configured inanother embodiment to allow mounting of various different types ofpayloads simultaneously on a common RPS rail structure for the givenmission even though the different payloads have differing mechanicalmounting configurations/requirements. Further, such payload adapters maybe employed to allow a first given installed payload to be removed froma RPS rail structure and replaced or interchanged with a seconddifferent payload having differing mechanical mountingconfigurations/requirements, e.g., between back-to-back missions.

Thus, installation of a RPS may be common to a given aircraft oraircraft type such that the structure of a particular aircraft no longerrequires a uniquely-designed aircraft structure modification's forcompatibility with differing payload/s. For example, a given RPS may bedesigned in consideration of a desirable loads envelope resulting in arail structure or fittings and mounting adapter that are configured tobe installed on a given aircraft fuselage type such as a Beechcraft KingAir 350. In similar manner, a RPS may be designed with a different loadsenvelope that is developed to address other aircraft types resulting ina different rail structure, or fittings and mounting adapter. In thisregard, differing loads envelopes for other aircraft may be establishedand one or more components of an RPS subsequently designed, installed,and employed. Moreover, in one embodiment, once a given RPS design iscreated for installation on a given aircraft or aircraft type,corresponding installation tooling for RPS components may also bedesigned and manufactured to reduce cost and enhance ease ofinstallation. This is possible since the given RPS design is common fromaircraft-to-aircraft of the same type even though the working payloadsmay vary greatly. This in turn allows modification of the aircraftstructure to become well known when implementing installation toolingwhich reduces touch labor and risk of damage during aircraftmodification.

In one respect, disclosed herein is a reconfigurable payload system(RPS), including one or more external payload attachment featuresmechanically coupled to extend across a given section of a fuselage ofan aircraft, the one or more external payload attachment features beingconfigured to be attached to external payload components, externalfairings, or a combination thereof. The one or more external payloadattachment features may be configured with an available operationalenvelope of total permissible aircraft load at given locations withinthe section. The external payload attachment features may include one ormore payload rails, one or more fairing rails, one or more hard points,or a combination thereof.

In another respect, disclosed herein is a RPS disconnect panel assembly,including: a disconnect receptacle block configured for attachment tothe interior of an aircraft fuselage, the disconnect receptacle blockincluding a receptacle body having a receptacle opening defined toextend through the block and to be at least partially aligned with anaperture defined in an outer skin of the aircraft fuselage when attachedto the interior of the aircraft fuselage; and a disconnect plug blockhaving a plug body, the plug body having outer dimensions that arecomplementary in shape to inner dimensions of the receptacle openingdefined through the receptacle body of the disconnect receptacle blocksuch that the plug body is configured to be received in the receptacleopening in mated relationship inside the aircraft fuselage opposite theaperture defined in the outer skin of the aircraft fuselage. The plugbody of the disconnection plug block may include a bottom plateconfigured to extend across and adjacent to the receptacle opening whenthe disconnection plug block is matingly received in the receptacleopening of the disconnect receptacle block; and where one or morethrough-holes are defined to extend through the bottom plate of the plugbody to allow respective payload interfaces line to extend via coupledconnectors through the though-holes from an interior of the fuselage toan exterior of the fuselage. The one or more through-holes may bedefined to extend through the bottom plate of the plug body to allowdifferent types of payload interfaces lines to be interchangeablyconnected through the though-hole from an interior of the fuselage to anexterior of the fuselage. The payload interface lines may in oneembodiment include different types of interchangeable electricalharnesses, although other types are possible.

In another respect, disclosed herein is a method of modifying anaircraft fuselage, including: defining a baseline reconfigurable payloadsystem (RPS) configuration configured to support a given survey ofselected interchangeable external payload components, interchangeableinternal payload components, and/or interchangeable external aerodynamicfairings; determining an operational envelope of total permissibleaircraft loads by fuselage locations for the baseline reconfigurablepayload system (RPS) configuration, the total permissible aircraft loadsincluding the sum of unmodified aircraft loads for the aircraft with RPSaerodynamic loads, RPS internal payload loads, and RPS external payloadcomponent loads by fuselage location; and modifying the aircraftfuselage with the baseline RPS configuration. The method may furtherinclude coupling a RPS disconnect panel assembly to the interior of theaircraft fuselage adjacent a location of the external payload attachmentfeatures.

In another respect, disclosed herein is a reconfigurable payload system(RPS), including one or more external payload attachment featuresmechanically coupled to extend across a given section of a fuselage ofan aircraft, the one or more external payload attachment features beingconfigured to be attached to external payload components, externalfairings, or a combination thereof, where the external payloadattachment features include at least one mounting adapter sectionmechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage across the given sectionof the aircraft fuselage; where the mounting adapter section includes atleast one of: one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spacedrail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured toalign with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastenerlocations of an interchangeable external payload component that has apayload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regularspacing of the rail fastener locations; and/or multiple payloadhardpoints having regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations providedon each payload hardpoint that are configured to align with and beselectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of aninterchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastenerlocation spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of thehardpoint fastener locations. The mounting adapter section may bemechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraftfuselage such that such that: the rail fastener location spacing remainsregular across the payload rail of the mounting adapter section so as toallow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeableexternal payload component to align with and simultaneously attach tomating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adaptersection to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payloadcomponent to the aircraft fuselage, and/or such that the hardpointfastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpointsof the mounting adapter section so as to allow the mating payloadfastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component toalign with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations on the mounting adapter section tomechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component tothe aircraft fuselage.

In another respect, disclosed herein is a method of operating anaircraft, including: providing one or more external payload attachmentfeatures mechanically coupled to extend across a given section of afuselage of the aircraft; and attaching external payload components,external fairings, or a combination thereof to the one or more externalpayload attachment features. The external payload attachment featuresmay include at least one mounting adapter section mechanically coupledto the aircraft fuselage across the given section of the aircraftfuselage, the mounting adapter section including at least one of: one ormore payload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations provided on each rail that are configured to align with and beselectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of aninterchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastenerlocation spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of therail fastener locations, and/or multiple payload hardpoints havingregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations provided on each payloadhardpoint that are configured to align with and be selectably attachedto mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable externalpayload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that iscomplementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastenerlocations. The mounting adapter section may be mechanically coupled toextend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that suchthat: the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across thepayload rail of the mounting adapter section so as to allow the matingpayload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payloadcomponent to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter sectionto mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component tothe aircraft fuselage, and/or such that the hardpoint fastener locationspacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the mountingadapter section so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations ofthe interchangeable external payload component to align with andsimultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastenerlocations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage. Inone embodiment, the method may further include: selecting a first set ofone or more interchangeable external payload components; aligning andattaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeableexternal payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spacedrail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mountingadapter sections to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeableexternal payload components to the aircraft fuselage, or aligning andattaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeableexternal payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separatemounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the first set ofinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage; andthen using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the mechanicallycoupled first set of one or more external payload components. The methodmay further include: then selecting a second and different set of one ormore external payload components; aligning and attaching payloadfastener locations of the second set of interchangeable external payloadcomponents simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adaptersections to mechanically couple the second set of interchangeableexternal payload components to the aircraft fuselage, or aligning andattaching payload fastener locations of the second set ofinterchangeable external payload components simultaneously to matingregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of themultiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple thesecond set of interchangeable external payload component to the aircraftfuselage; and then using the aircraft to fly a second mission with themechanically coupled second set of one or more external payloadcomponents after flying the first mission. Additionally oralternatively, the method may further include: then removing the firstset of one or more external payload components from aircraft afterflying the first mission; aligning and attaching payload fastenerlocations of the first set of interchangeable external payloadcomponents simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sectionsmounted on a second and different aircraft to mechanically couple thefirst set of interchangeable external payload components to a fuselageof the second aircraft, or aligning and attaching payload fastenerlocations of the first set of interchangeable external payloadcomponents simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastenerlocations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sectionsmounted on the second and different aircraft to mechanically couple thesecond set of interchangeable external payload components to thefuselage of the second aircraft; and then using the second and differentaircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled first setof one or more external payload components after flying the firstmission.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a simplified bottom sectional view of an aircraftand RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systemsand methods.

FIG. 1B illustrates a simplified bottom sectional view of an aircraftand RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systemsand methods.

FIG. 1C1 illustrates a simplified partial bottom view of an aircraft andRPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 1C2 illustrates a simplified partial bottom view of an aircraft andRPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 1D illustrates a simplified bottom sectional view of an aircraftand RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systemsand methods.

FIG. 1E illustrates a simplified partial bottom sectional view of anaircraft and RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 1F illustrates a simplified partial bottom sectional view of anaircraft and RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 1G illustrates a simplified partial bottom sectional view of anaircraft and RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 1H illustrates a simplified partial bottom sectional view of anaircraft and RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 1I illustrates example modularity of fittings according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 2A illustrates a simplified front sectional view of an aircraft andRPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 2B illustrates a simplified front sectional view of an aircraft andRPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified side sectional view of an aircraft andRPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 4A illustrates a simplified partial front view of an aircraftfuselage and RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 4B illustrates a simplified partial front view of an aircraftfuselage and RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 4C illustrates a simplified partial front view of an aircraftfuselage and RPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 4D illustrates an expanded perspective view of components of an RPSinstallation according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 4E illustrates a partial bottom sectional view of an aircraft andRPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 4F illustrates a partial bottom sectional view of an aircraft andRPS according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 4G illustrates a simplified partial perspective view of componentsof an RPS installation according to one exemplary embodiment of thedisclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 5A illustrates a simplified side view of an RPS quick disconnectpanel according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 5B illustrates a simplified side view of an RPS quick disconnectpanel according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods.

FIG. 6A illustrates a simplified overhead view of a receptacle blockportion of a RPS quick disconnect panel according to one exemplaryembodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 6B illustrates a simplified side view of the receptacle blockportion of FIG. 6A according to one exemplary embodiment of thedisclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 6C illustrates a simplified overhead view of a receptacle blockportion of a RPS quick disconnect panel according to one exemplaryembodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 6D illustrates a simplified side view of the receptacle blockportion of FIG. 6A according to one exemplary embodiment of thedisclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 7A illustrates a simplified underside view of a plug block portionof a RPS quick disconnect panel according to one exemplary embodiment ofthe disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 7B illustrates a simplified side view of the plug block portion ofFIG. 7A according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systemsand methods.

FIG. 7C illustrates a simplified underside view of a plug block portionof a RPS quick disconnect panel according to one exemplary embodiment ofthe disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 7D illustrates a simplified side view of the plug block portion ofFIG. 7A according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systemsand methods.

FIG. 8A illustrates a simplified partial underside view of aRPS-equipped aircraft and different example payloads according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 8B illustrates a simplified partial underside view of aRPS-equipped aircraft and different example payloads according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 9 illustrates aircraft loads by fuselage section according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 10 illustrates moment envelope of aircraft from loads of theexemplary embodiment of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11A illustrates design methodology flow according to one exemplaryembodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 11B illustrates an example survey of different external payloadconfigurations including fairings and external payloads according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 11C illustrates an example survey of different internal payloadconfigurations according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosedsystems and methods.

FIG. 11D illustrates a simplified overhead view of an example RPSinternal payload configuration for undefined roll-on and roll-off (RORO)equipment according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systemsand methods.

FIG. 11E illustrates a simplified perspective view of external RPSstructural modifications according to one exemplary embodiment of thedisclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 11F illustrates a simplified perspective view of internal RPSstructural modifications according to one exemplary embodiment of thedisclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 11G illustrates a RPS Interface Control Document (ICD)Weight/Balance Payload Configuration according to one exemplaryembodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

FIG. 12 illustrates operational methodology flow according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1A illustrates a simplified bottom sectional view of a fixed wingedaircraft 150 and installed components of a RPS according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods. Although afixed wing aircraft is illustrated, it will be understood that thedisclosed systems and methods are equally applicable to rotary aircraftinstallations and configurations. In this particular embodiment, theinstalled components include a pair of substantially parallel innerpayload rails 103 coupled to the structure of the aircraft 150, a pairof substantially parallel outer fairing rails 102 coupled to thestructure of the aircraft 150, a quick disconnect panel 100, and anexemplary aerodynamic modular fairing 101 coupled to the outer fairingrails 102. In the illustrated embodiment, RPS is shown installed andoriented along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 160of aircraft 150 on the bottom side 170 of the aircraft fuselage 180. Inone exemplary embodiment, location and lateral spacing between adjacentinner payload rails 103 and/or between adjacent outer fairing rails 102(as well as size and rail attachment configuration or profile) may bestandardized and set (e.g., with location, size/configuration andspacing specified by ICD).

In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, dual RPS outer fairing rails 102 areprovided as payload attachment features and installed to mechanicallycouple an aerodynamic and/or protective fairing 101 to the aircraftexterior, and may be sectioned or monolithic, e.g., based on userdefined payload desires or requirements. Additional payload attachmentfeatures in the embodiment of FIG. 1A include dual RPS inner payloadrails 103 that are provided and installed to mechanically couple thepayloads to the aircraft 150 through a payload adapter 104 that isdescribed further herein. The loads-supporting purpose of the parallelrails 102 and 103 may be varied as dictated by the specifics of thepayload components or combination of payload components. Moreover, rails102 and 103 may be constructed of any materials (e.g., aluminum, steel,composite such as carbon fiber, etc.) suitable for providing adequatestrength for supporting desired payload components and payload componentcombinations. In this regard, the type of payload components and/orcombination of payload components may be varied for a given aircraft 150by the aircraft operator, while the design and installation of rails 102and 103 do not vary for the given aircraft 150 and associated designenvelope, except in the case that a full length rail installation (i.e.,meaning all rail sections of a multi-rail section design) are notrequired to meet the payload requirements for a given mission. However,even when installing less than the full length of aggregate railsections 102 and/or 103, the design of the rails and the associatedloads envelope need not change.

RPS inner payload rails 103 and/or outer rails 102 may also be coupledto the fuselage structure in one embodiment using fuselage hardpoints inorder to accommodate certain payloads, although it is possible that anyother suitable ways of coupling rails 102 and 103 to the fuselage 180may be employed in other embodiments. Where hardpoints are employed forcoupling rails 102 and 103 to fuselage 180, they may be distributed in amanner (e.g., usually a uniform manner with some regularity inplacement) along the bottom 170 of fuselage 180. In this regard,hardpoint locations may be dictated by existing aircraft structure andaccess to fuselage skin (e.g., for hardpoint penetration and/or fastenerpenetration) as well as practicalities of designing and installingstructure modifications used to couple a hardpoint to the existingfuselage structure. Each hardpoint may be tied into more substantialfuselage structure such as frames, longerons, stringers, and skinreinforcement (e.g., doublers, triplers, etc.) may be employed wherenecessary or desired to recover strength due to skin penetrations.

It will be understood that the particular configuration and number ofrails 103 and 102 is exemplary, and that the number of payload rails mayvary from as few as one payload rail to more than two payload rails.Moreover, provision of one or more fairing rails is optional, and insome embodiments no fairing rails may be provided. Additionally, theillustrated configuration and relative length of payload rails 103 andfairing rails 102 is exemplary only, with shorter or longer rails beingpossible. Thus, the length and number of payload and fairing rails mayvary according to the characteristics and/or needs of a particularapplication/aircraft structure, and/or according to a particular payloadenvelope configured for the same. In the illustrated embodiment, rails102 and 103 are oriented parallel to the aircraft fuselage longitudinalaxis 160 in order to provide for more payload foot print whileminimizing aerodynamic loads, although other rail orientations arepossible where desired or needed to fit the characteristics of a givenRPS application. In one exemplary embodiment, one or more spaced-apartcross beams or cross pieces may be mechanically coupled to extend inperpendicular relationship between the individual payload rails 103 of agiven payload rail pair (e.g., in a ladder rung-like configuration) toallow payload components to be mechanically coupled to the rails 103 viathe cross-beams rather than directly to the rails 103 themselves.

Still referring to the embodiment of FIG. 1A, a quick disconnect panel100 may be provided in one embodiment as shown to allow exterior andinterior electrical harnesses (or other types of payload interface linesincluding fluid conduits such as hydraulic lines, liquid coolant linesfor heat exchange cooling, etc.) associated with various payload/s thatmay be mounted to inner payload rails 103 and later removed from innerpayload rails 103 to be quickly connected and disconnected using thequick disconnect panel 100. In such an embodiment, quick disconnectpanel 100 enables the aircraft operator to rapidly swap or interchangedifferent payload/s and their associated electrical interface harnesseswithout having to modify the aircraft fuselage 180 at each payloadchange. The particular illustrated location and configuration of quickdisconnect panel 100 is exemplary only, it being understood that morethan one disconnect panel 100 may be provided in a variety of suitablelocations on an aircraft, depending on size and complexity of theaircraft and/or payloads. In one exemplary embodiment, disconnect panels100 may distributed at various locations on fuselage 180 (e.g., inlocations adjacent to different sections of payload rails 103), and thenoptionally employed in various combinations to fit the requirements ofgiven missions and payload combinations or when an adjacent rail sectionis used for a given mission. In one example, one or more of multipleinstalled disconnect panels 100 may be blanked off (with no openings orinterface lines extending there through) for future use when needed.Further information regarding an exemplary quick disconnect panel 100 isprovide in relation to FIGS. 5-7 herein.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, one or more monolithic or modular fairings101 may be optionally mechanically coupled to outer fairing rails 102 asrequired to at least partially surround all or part of payloadcomponents that may be mechanically coupled to inner payload rails 103.In this regard, some types of payload components are designed for directairstream exposure while other types of payload components requireenclosure within an aerodynamic fairing 101 to at least partially shieldthe payload components from airstream exposure. In this regard, theillustrated RPS parallel dual rail design is capable of supporting amonolithic or modular aerodynamic fairing as needed for a given payloadconfiguration, it being understood that an aircraft operator may requirediffering aircraft mission capabilities under normal concepts ofoperation and that differing payloads may require differing types andconfigurations of aerodynamic fairings 101. In the illustratedembodiment, all (monolithic) or a portion (modular) of an aerodynamicfairing 101 may be installed using the unique configuration of the RPSparallel dual rail design.

FIGS. 1B and 1C1 illustrate simplified bottom sectional views of a fixedwinged aircraft 150 and installed components of a RPS according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods. In thisexemplary embodiment, the installed payload attachment features arecomponents that include multiple fuselage fittings 152 coupled to theaircraft 150, multi-section mounting adapter 154 coupled to the fuselagefittings 152, a pair of payload rails 122 provided as integral parts ofa mounting adapter 154, multiple payload hardpoints 119 provided asintegral parts of the mounting adapter 154, a quick disconnect panel100, and an exemplary aerodynamic modular fairing 101 that may becoupled to the mounting adapter 154 via fairing interface/s 493. In theillustrated embodiment, RPS is shown installed and oriented along andsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 160 of aircraft 150 onthe bottom side 170 of the aircraft fuselage 180.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1B and 1C1, a RPS mounting adapter154 is provided and installed to mechanically couple an aerodynamicand/or protective fairing 101 to the aircraft exterior. Such a RPSmounting adapter 154 may be multi-sectioned as shown (e.g., sections 154a, 154 b, 154 c and 154 d) or may be monolithic in other embodiments,e.g., based on user defined payload desires or requirements. In oneembodiment, a RPS mounting adapter 154 may be a baseplate, e.g., such asa detailed structure (e.g. 1 to 5 inches thick or any greater or lesserthickness needed or desired to suitably support the external loads of agiven application) that is machined from metal plate, molded fromresin-impregnated composite materials such as fiberglass, carbon fiber,etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, dual parallel longitudinal RPS payloadrails 122 and multiple payload hardpoints 119 are provided as structuralcomponents or features to mechanically couple payloads to the mountingadapter 154 as described further herein. Hardpoints 119 may be presentas short structural pads or attachment areas in one embodiment as shownherein where needed to provide greater load-carrying capacity than isprovided by the elongated (e.g., longitudinal-running) rails 122.Although RPS mounting adapter 154 of FIGS. 1B and 1C1 is provided withboth payload rails 122 and payload hardpoints 119, it will be understoodthat a mounting adapter 154 may be provided in one alternativeembodiment with payload rails 122 only (and provided with no payloadhardpoints 119), and may be provided in another embodiment with payloadhardpoints 119 only (and provided with no payload rails 122).

As shown in FIG. 1C1, location and lateral spacing distance “A” betweenparallel longitudinal payload rails 122 may be standardized and set(e.g., with location, size and spacing specified by ICD) to be the samefor each of RPS mounting adapter sections 154 a, 154 b, 154 c and 154 d,i.e., such that individual rails 122 are longitudinally aligned acrossdifferent installed sections 154 as shown. Similarly, lateral spacing“C” between payload hardpoints 119 may be standardized (e.g., withlocation, size and spacing specified by ICD) as the same for each of RPSmounting adapter sections 154 a, 154 b, 154 c and 154 d, i.e., such thathardpoints 119 are longitudinally aligned across different installedsections 154 as shown. As further shown a standardized spacing “D”(e.g., specified by ICD) may be provided between opposing outsidesurfaces of fairing interfaces 493, as well as specified standardizedvariance in this spacing (e.g., narrowing spacing between fairinginterfaces 493 as shown for nose mounting adapter section 154 a and tailmounting adapter section 154 d).

Still referring to FIGS. 1B and 1C1, hardpoints 119 may also belongitudinally spaced apart from each other by a standardized spacingdistance “B” (e.g., with location, size and spacing specified by ICD)that is the same for each section 154, and with individual hardpoints119 being laterally aligned with each other (e.g., in two parallellongitudinal-running rows) as shown. In one embodiment hardpoints 119may be longitudinally spaced apart from each other on 8 inch centers,although values of distance “B” may be greater or lesser in otherembodiments as may be suitable for fitting load requirements ofdifferent given applications. It will be understood that the particularnumber of parallel payload rails 122 may be greater or less than two,and/or that the number of longitudinal rows of hardpoints 119 may bemore or less than two. Additionally, in other embodiments one or moreindividual sections of payload rails 122 and/or individual hardpoints119 may be located in a standardized location (e.g., with location, sizeand spacing specified by ICD) that is non-parallel in nature. Moreover agiven mounting adapter 154 may be configured with payload rails 122and/or rows of hardpoints 119 that have a length substantially equal to,or alternatively less than, the longitudinal length of the givenmounting adapter 154, e.g., less than half the length of the givenmounting adapter 154. Nor does a payload rail 122 of a given mountingadapter 154 need to be continuous, but rather may be made up of two ormore individual sections of payload rails 122 that are longitudinallyaligned in end-to-end relation with an optional space or gap in-betweenthe sections as illustrated on mounting adapter 154 b of FIG. 1C2, itbeing understood that the constant periodicity of the rail fastenerlocation spacing may continue and be maintained across the separate railsections. Similarly, a payload rail 122 may include blank section/s(i.e., where rail fastener locations 183 are absent) as illustrated onmounting adapter 154 b of FIG. 1C2, it being understood that theconstant periodicity of the rail fastener location spacing may continueand be maintained across the blank section of the rail section.

For example, FIG. 1C2 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which amounting adapter section 154 a is configured with a single center row ofhardpoints 119, a mounting adapter 154 b is configured with threeparallel payload rails 122 and two rows of hardpoints 119, a mountingadapter 154 c is configured with one payload rail 122 and two rows ofhardpoints 119, and a mounting adapter 154 d is configured with threerows of hardpoints 119.

Any combination of standardized spacing values may be selected for eachof distances “A”, “B”, “C” and “D” that is suitable for implementing agiven RPS installation on a given aircraft, e.g., to fit the needs ofanticipated missions including support of anticipated external payloadloads and/or dimensions, etc. Moreover, such distances may be furtherselected to be compatible with RPS installations on different types ofaircraft, e.g., such that RPS components having the same spacings “A”,“B”, “C” and “D” may be implemented on different types of aircraft,allowing interchangeability of mounting adapters 154 and payloads 105between different aircraft. In one exemplary embodiment, the followingcombination of standardized RPS spacing distances may be implemented fora RPS installed on the underside of a Beechcraft King Air 350 (it beingunderstood that these values are provided for purposes of illustrationand are exemplary only, and that individual spacing values may begreater or lesser in other embodiments as desired or needed): Spacing“A” may be about 28 inches, or about 14 inches displaced each side fromthe longitudinal axis 160 which is also known as butt line 0 (zero orBL0). Spacing “B” may be about 8 inches as measured between the centersof the mounting fastener provisions and, in one embodiment, this spacingmay be constant across adjacent sections of 154(a-d). Spacing “C”measured from the lateral center of each hardpoint 119 may be about 17inches, or about 8.5 inches displaced each side from the BL0 orlongitudinal axis 160. Spacing D may be about 16.25 inches from BL0 oraxis 160 on each side.

It will be understood that fairing interface/s 493 of a given mountingadapter section's 154 may be tailored in configuration and shape to matewith and support the shape of the given fairing/s 101 that are selectedor required to contain payload(s) 105 for given mission/s. In oneembodiment fairing interface/s 493 may be a machined surface (e.g.,recess) in at least a portion of the peripheral surface/s of mountingadapter 154. In this regard, configuration and shape of fairings 101 maybe selected and/or varied as needed to enable swap capability betweendifferent payload/s 105 located under the fairing section/s 101. In oneembodiment, even if width of fairing/s 101 needs to grow in lateraldimensions (meaning width of the needed mounting adapter 154 and spacing“E” are increased), the interior spacing of the below-describedprovisional rail fastener locations 183 and hardpoint fastener location187 may remain constant (e.g., as defined in an ICD) for a given design.In this regard, an ICD may specify multiple different mounting adapter154 configurations and/or dimensions (e.g., that are accumulated overtime), while spacing of provisional rail fastener locations 183 andhardpoint fastener location 187 remains the same.

As shown, each of payload rails 122 of any given section 154 may furtherinclude multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations 183 (e.g.,with location, size and spacing specified by ICD) for attaching payloadsto a RPS mounting adapter 154. By “regularly-spaced” it is meant thatthe spacing distance between a first pair of different (e.g., adjacent)rail fastener locations 183 or hardpoint fastener locations 187 is thesame distance as the spacing distance between a second pair of different(e.g., adjacent) rail fastener locations 183. Although described hereinwith regard to regularly-spaced rail and hardpoint fastener locations,it will be understood that non-regularly-spaced rail and/or hardpointfastener locations may be employed in another embodiment, e.g., such asnon-regularly-spaced rail and/or hardpoint fastener locations havingpre-defined spacing and locations that are configured for alignment withand attachment to matching pre-defined non-regularly-spaced payloadfastener locations of a payload 105.

Each of rail fastener locations 183 may be, for example,machine-threaded openings defined in a given rail 122 that is configuredto accept a threaded fastener such as a bolt, screw, etc. As shownoptional alternating wiring mounting fastener locations 193 may beprovided in the rail 122 between the rail fastener locations 183. In oneembodiment, a standardized regular rail fastener spacing distancepattern (e.g., 4 inch spacing or any other suitable greater or lesserdistance) between adjacent rail fastener locations 183 of a givensection 154 may repeat or carry over across multiple (e.g., from two toall) installed sections 154 on a common aircraft 180 such that eachmounting adapter section 154 has rails 122 with the same standardizedregular rail fastener spacing distance pattern, e.g., such that matingpayload fastener locations 451 provided on a payload component 105 (FIG.4A-4F) will align with rail fastener location 183 for mounting whetherthe payload component 105 is mounted only to payload rails 122 of asingle section 154 or is mounted to payload rails 122 of more than onesection 154 (e.g., in the case of a payload section 105 that is mountedacross multiple sections 154 b and 154 c of FIG. 1C1). A similarstandardized regular spacing distance pattern (e.g., 4 inch spacing orany other suitable greater or lesser distance) may also be providedbetween adjacent wiring mounting fastener locations 193 of a givensection 154 (e.g., such that spacing between adjacent fastener locations183 and 193 may be 2 inches in the above-described example). In thisregard, mating payload fastener locations may be provided on a givenpayload 105 with standardized spacing and location to match spacing andlocation of rail fastener locations 183 so as to align with fastenerlocations 183 when the payload 105 is mated with the RPS mountingadapter section's 154.

When payload fastener locations 451 and 453 are aligned withcorresponding rail fastener locations 183 and hardpoint fastenerlocations 187, respectively, payload 105 may be mechanically coupled tomounting adapter section/s 154, e.g., with a suitable fastener at eachaligned fastener location in a manner as described further herein. Inthis regard, each of locations 183, 187, 451 and 453 may be threaded ornon-threaded openings for receiving a fastener (bolt, screw, etc.) tomechanically couple a payload 105 to the mounting adapter 154. Inanother embodiment, a given fastener location 183, 187, 451 and 453 maybe a threaded stud that is configured to be received and fastened (e.g.,by a nut) to a corresponding mating fastener location to mechanicallycouple a payload 105 to the mounting adapter 154. Thus, any combinationof fastener location and fastener type may be employed that is suitablefor to mechanically coupling a payload 105 to the mounting adapter 154.

Similarly, each of hardpoints 119 of any given section 154 may furtherinclude multiple regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations 187(e.g., with location, size and spacing specified by ICD) for attachingpayloads to the RPS mounting adapter mounting structure. Other optionalfastener locations 189 may be provided as illustrated in configurationand/or number for a given purpose, e.g., such as to attach an optionalpayload spacer that may be used as part of a mounting adapter 154, andwhich may be removed to provide clearance to a payload 105 at anattachment location that is not used or replaced with a taller structureto offset the payload 105 from the mounting adapter 154 if required ordesired. Therefore each hardpoint fastener location 187 is just one holein this particular design and has the lateral dimension of C noted belowof 8.5″ from BL0. Each of hardpoint fastener locations 187 may be, forexample, machine-threaded openings defined in a given hardpoint 119 thatis configured to accept a threaded fastener such as a bolt, screw, etc.In one embodiment, the standardized spacing between adjacent hardpointfastener locations 187 of a given section 154 may carry over to anadjacent installed section 154, e.g., such that mating payload fastenerlocations provided on a payload component 105 will align with hardpointfastener locations 187 for mounting whether the payload component ismounted only to payload hardpoints of a single section 154 or is mountedto payload hardpoints 119 of more than one section 154 (e.g., in thecase of a payload section 105 that is mounted across multiple sections154 b and 154 c of FIG. 1C1). Once again, mating payload fastenerlocations may be provided on a given payload 105 with standardizedspacing and location to match spacing and location of hardpoint fastenerlocations 187 so as to align with fastener locations 187 when thepayload 105 is mated with the RPS mounting adapter section/s 154.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1C1, RPS mounting adapter section154 a is optionally configured as a “nose” or forward end section havingno payload rails 122 or hardpoints 119, and RPS mounting adapter 154 dis optionally configured as a “tail” or aft end section having nopayload rails 122 or hardpoints 119. Such a configuration may beoptionally implemented in one embodiment due to the narrowed aerodynamicshape requirements of the corresponding nose and tail sections of afairing 101 that does not allow for the standard spacing and location ofrails 122 and/or hardpoints 119 at each end of the RPS installation,whereas the inner mounting adapter sections 154 b and 154 c are providedwith such standardized payload rails 122 and hardpoints 119 as shown inFIG. 1C1. It will be understood, however, that additional payloadmounting provisions such as rails and/or hardpoints may be defined andprovided in one exemplary embodiment for such narrowed mounting adapternose and tail sections (e.g., 154 a and 154 d) as shown in FIG. 1C2, ina manner that provides commonality across aircraft RPS installations ifdesired. In such an embodiment, the spacing of the additional nose andtail mounting adapter rails and/or hardpoints may not in one embodimentbe provided with the same standardized spacing as rails 122 of mountingadapter sections 154 b-c. Rather an alternate standardized configurationof rails and/or hardpoints configured for narrowed mounting adaptersections may be provided and documented (e.g., with a suitably narrowedspacing to fit the narrowed mounting adapter section) in an ICD.Additionally, payload mounting provisions of any other type as requiredor desired may be provided for a nose mounting adapter section 154 aand/or tail mounting adapter section 154 d to enable payloads 105 to bemounted in these narrowed mounting adapter sections. In anotherexemplary embodiment, RPS mounting adapter section 154 a and 154 d mayoptionally include location of rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119 (e.g.,located concentric with aircraft fuselage centerline 160) with standardspacing and location of rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119 but of differentdimensions than those rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119 shown in innermounting adapter sections 154 b and 154 c (e.g., narrow spacing withfewer fastener holes for mounting payloads). It will be understood thatpayload installation to mounting adapter 154 a and mounting adapter 154d is also possible.

The loads-supporting purpose of the parallel rails 122 and payloadhardpoints 119 may be varied as dictated by the specifics of the payloadcomponents or combination of payload components. Moreover, fuselagefittings 152, mounting adapter section/s 154, and integral or attachedrails 122 and/or hardpoints 119 may each be constructed of anymaterial/s (e.g., aluminum, steel, composite such as carbon fiber, etc.)suitable for providing adequate strength for supporting desired payloadcomponents and payload component combinations. In this regard, the typeof payload components and/or combination of payload components may bevaried for a given aircraft 150 by the aircraft operator, while thedesign and installation are not required to vary for the given aircraft150 and associated design envelope to meet the payload requirements fora given mission. Moreover, in one exemplary embodiment, all or a portionof fuselage fittings 152 may be configured to be temporarily removable(e.g., with removable connectors such as bolts or screws) from aircraft150, for example, in the event that it is desired to fly the aircraft150 to a location with a “slick” belly having no fittings 152 or anyother RPS components protruding outward beyond the aircraft skin. Theremoved fittings 152 may then be reinstalled at the destination so as toallow attachment of mounting adapter section's 154 and payloads 105. Inanother example, only a portion of the total number of fittings 152 maybe installed (e.g., either originally or for a given mission) as isshown by the fitting modularity examples of Figure H.

With regard to embodiment of FIGS. 1B and 1C1, it will be understoodthat number and locations of a full complement of individual fuselagefittings 152 may be designed or otherwise selected and identified tomeet a desired loads envelope capability for a given type of aircraft150, e.g., such as a Beechcraft King Air 350. It will be understood thatthe entire RPS design instantiation may be installed in whole, or inpart, depending on the needs of a given aircraft instantiation oraircraft operator. Thus, where full payload capability (e.g., payloadweight and/or payload location options) is desired or needed, the fullcomplement of designed fuselage fittings 152 may be installed on a givenaircraft 150 together with all required internal aircraft structureframe modifications needed to reinforce the fuselage for accommodationof the desired loads envelope. However, where less than the full payloadcapability is needed or desired, it is alternatively possible that onlya portion of the full complement of designed fuselage fittings 152 maybe selected for installation on a given aircraft 150. In the lattercase, only a portion of the number of internal aircraft structure framemodifications associated with the full complement of fuselage fittings152 may be advantageously required. In one example, this fuselagefitting installation flexibility provides well for point solutions wherean aircraft operator requires only a very specific payload capabilitywhich only requires a partial installation of the full complement of RPSstructural modifications, while at the same time those aircraftmodifications that are required may be expedited because much of thenon-recurring engineering (NRE) is already in hand. In this regard, wheninstalling less than the full complement of fuselage fittings 152, thedesign of a mounting adapter 154 (e.g., with its rails 122 and/orhardpoints 119) and the associated loads envelope need not change.

Although RPS mounting adapter section/s 154 (e.g., with rails 122 and/orhardpoints 119) may in one embodiment be coupled to the aircraftfuselage structure 180 using fuselage fittings 152 as shown, it is alsopossible to employ any other suitable technique for coupling mountingadapter 154 to the fuselage 180, e.g., such as rails, fuselagehardpoints, skate angles, or any combination of these items. Wherefuselage fittings 152 are employed for coupling mounting adaptersection/s 154 to fuselage 180, the fittings 152 may be distributed inany suitable manner (e.g., usually a uniform manner with some regularityin placement) along the bottom 170 of fuselage 180. In this regard,locations for fuselage fittings 152 may be dictated by existing aircraftstructure and access to fuselage skin (e.g., for hardpoint penetrationand/or fastener penetration) as well as practicalities of designing andinstalling structure modifications used to couple a fuselage fitting 152to the existing fuselage structure. Each fuselage fitting 152 may betied into more substantial fuselage structure such as frames,intercostals, longerons, stringers, and skin doublers may be employedwhere necessary or desired to enhance strength or recover strength dueto skin penetrations.

It will be understood that the particular configuration (e.g., size andfootprint) and number of mounting adapter section's 154 (e.g., withrails 122 and hardpoints 119) of the RPS design illustrated anddescribed herein is exemplary only, and that the number of mountingadapter section/s 154 included in a RPS design for a given aircraft 150may vary from as few as one mounting adapter section 154 to more thantwo mounting adapter sections 154, e.g., that are cooperatively employedto mount payload and/or fairing components as illustrated in FIG. 1C 1.Moreover, provision of one or more mounting adapter sections 154 isoptional, and in some embodiments no mounting adapter section 154 may beprovided. Additionally, the illustrated configuration, relative lengthand relative width of a mounting adapter section/s 154 (e.g., with rails122 and hardpoints 119) is exemplary only, with shorter or longermounting adapter sections 154 and mounting adapter sections 154 havingdifferent footprint shape and/or size being possible. Thus, the length,footprint and/or number of mounting adapter sections 154 included in aRPS design for given aircraft 150 may vary (e.g., together withconfiguration of associated rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119) accordingto the characteristics and/or needs of a particular application/aircraftstructure, and/or according to a particular payload envelope configuredfor the same. Further, the number and locations of fuselage fittings 152illustrated herein is exemplary only, with more or less fuselagefittings 152 being possible as needed or desired.

FIGS. 1D-1I illustrate how different numbers and configurations ofdifferent modular mounting adapter sections 154 (e.g., baseplates) maybe interchangeably mounted to a standardized pattern and number ofremovable fuselage fittings 152 (e.g., with location, size and spacingspecified by ICD) that are installed on the bottom side 170 of anaircraft fuselage 180. For simplicity of illustration, no mounting rails122 or hardpoints 119 are shown in FIGS. 1D-H, it being understood thateach of modular mounting adapters 154 illustrated in these Figures maybe configured in one embodiment as a module having mounting rails 122and/or hardpoints 119 in a manner as described elsewhere herein.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1D-1I, a total of 26 fittings 152are provided with location of each of the 26 fittings selected to fitthe characteristics of the given aircraft structure (e.g., BeechcraftKing Air 350) together with particular payload envelope established forthe given aircraft using methodology described elsewhere herein. Forexample, an FAA STC may be established that provides required fuselagereinforcements to support the external fittings 152, to support theinternal fuselage static and inertial loads, and external aerodynamicand inertial loads of the design loads envelope described elsewhereherein. In such a case, not all fuselage reinforcements of the STC mustbe present on an aircraft for a given RPS installation, only the numberand location of reinforcements and fittings 152 that are needed to meetthe given application are required. In each case, before installationthe loads of the given application are first considered and verified tobe compliant to the designed loads envelope for a given embodiment of anRPS, and thus also compliant with the STC for the RPS for the givenaircraft as a full or partial instantiation of an RPS as describedelsewhere herein. As such RPS fittings 152 and mounting adapter/s 154may also be employed for point-solution designs since much of thenon-reoccurring engineering (NRE) has already been created.

As shown in FIG. 1G, a single section 154 may be coupled to and mountedacross all installed fittings 152 for one application (e.g., mission),while multiple sections 154 (e.g., three sections 154 in FIGS. 1E and1H, and four sections 154 in FIG. 1F) may be coupled to and mounted forother applications (e.g., missions) across some or all of the sameinstalled fittings 152. As shown in each of the illustrated embodimentsof FIGS. 1E, 1F and 1H, multiple mounting adapter sections 154 aremechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage 180 in adjacent end-to-endmanner to extend longitudinally across the given section of the aircraftfuselage 180. As shown in FIGS. 1F and 1H, a portion of the installedfittings 152 may be left exposed and uncoupled to any section for agiven installation or removed, and retained for future reinstallation,with a minimum of four fittings 152 used in this embodiment to secureeach mounting adapter 154 to the fuselage bottom 170. As shown in FIG.1D, all sections 154 may be removed from fitting 152 as may be the case,for example, on the ground during interchange of mounting adapters 152or during installation or removal of fittings. Not shown in FIGS. 1E-1Iare payload rails 122 and payload hardpoints 119 that may be installedon each of sections 154 in manner as described elsewhere herein.

FIG. 1I illustrates how number and location of installed fuselagefittings 152 and installed mounting adapter sections 154 on the bottomside 170 of an aircraft fuselage 180 may vary according to theanticipated loads of attached payload component/s 105 and/or fairingcomponent/s 101. As shown in FIG. 1I, the individual locations of agiven number of fuselage fittings 152 may be standardized (e.g., for agiven type of aircraft such as Beechcraft King Air 350), and then onlyas many fittings 152 installed on a given aircraft as needed for theloads of the given application (e.g., mission) for that aircraft.

Returning to the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1C1, the mountingadapter rails 122 are oriented parallel to the aircraft fuselagelongitudinal axis 160 in order to provide for more payload attachmentprovisions. However, other rail orientations are possible where desiredor needed to fit the characteristics of a given RPS application.Further, in one alternative embodiment, a RPS mounting adapter may beconfigured as one or more spaced-apart cross beams or cross pieces thatare mechanically coupled to fuselage fittings 152 to allow payloadcomponents to be mechanically coupled to the fuselage via thecross-beams and fuselage fittings 152, i.e., rather than via a mountingadapter 154 (i.e., with its respective rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119).

Still referring to FIGS. 1B and 1C1, one or more monolithic or modularfairings 101 may be optionally mechanically coupled to mounting adaptersection's 154 as required to at least partially surround all or part ofpayload components that may be mechanically coupled to mounting adaptersection/s 154 with rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119. As previouslydescribed, some types of payload components are designed for directairstream exposure while other types of payload components requireenclosure within an aerodynamic fairing 101 to at least partially shieldthe payload components from airstream exposure. In this regard, theillustrated RPS design is capable of supporting a monolithic or modularaerodynamic fairing as needed for a given payload configuration, itbeing understood that an aircraft operator may require differingaircraft mission capabilities under normal concepts of operation andthat differing payloads may require differing types and configurationsof aerodynamic fairings 101. In the illustrated embodiment, all(monolithic) or a portion (modular) of an aerodynamic fairing 101 may beinstalled using the unique configuration of the RPS mounting adaptersection/s 154 design.

As described herein in relation to FIGS. 1D-1H and FIGS. 4D-4G, allcomponents of a RPS may be removable from a given aircraft fuselage 180(e.g., including fittings 152, mounting adapter section/s 154 togetherwith corresponding payload rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119, payloads105, and fairing/s 101) such that the belly of the aircraft fuselage 180may be reconfigured with differing swappable (i.e., interchangeable)payloads 105 and differing combinations of the above-listed RPScomponents. For example, anything from a full length mounting adaptersection/s 154 to only one partial length mounting adapter section/s 154may be installed, removed, and reinstalled as part of a RPS for a givenaircraft 150. In one embodiment, different quantities of fittings 152may be installed on one aircraft 150 versus another aircraft 150 havingthe same RPS installed. The aircraft operator may elect to installdifferent quantities of fittings 152 and mounting adapters 154 asdictated by the payload 105 requirements of the anticipated flightoperations. However, once fittings 152 are installed, a given mountingadapter section/s 154 (e.g., such as a baseplate) is configured to pinup to the fittings 152, and these mounting adapter sections 154 (e.g.,baseplates) are portable from one aircraft 150 to a different aircraft150. In this regard, since mounting adapter sections 154 (e.g.,baseplates) may be configured with regularly-spaced and standardizedpayload mounting provisions in the form of payload rail/s 122 andhardpoints 119, a sensor payload 105 may be also portable from oneaircraft 150 to different aircraft 150. Moreover, in one embodiment,multiple different types of payloads 105 may be physically interchangedor swapped on a given aircraft 150 using the same configuration of RPSfuselage fittings 152 and mounting adapters 154 having standardizedrails 122 and/or hardpoints 119, i.e., without requiring removing,adding to, or otherwise changing the configuration of fittings 152 andadapter sections 154 currently installed on the aircraft 150. In afurther embodiment, the aircraft may be operated with these differentinterchanged payload components under the same RPS FAA STC(s) for thecurrent RPS design payload envelope.

In one embodiment, the defined pattern of fittings 152 of a given RPSdesign for a given aircraft 150 may not change although the quantityinstalled at any given time may change according to mission. As anexample, a RPS defined for a Beechcraft King Air 350 may provide for amaximum of 26 fittings 152 for the defined load envelope, and provisionsfor all 26 fittings may be installed on the aircraft 150, together withrequired structural modifications to the aircraft 150. However, in agiven mission case, installation and load of the baseline RPS baseplates154 a-d may require only a portion of the full pattern of installedfittings (e.g., 16 of the available 26 fittings). In such a case, 10 ofthe existing fittings 152 may be removed from the aircraft 150 (e.g.,unbolted and taken off), although all of the structural provisions forthe full pattern of 26 fittings 152 remain installed on the aircraft150. Thus, in this embodiment all fittings 152 of the given RPS designmay be initially installed (together with corresponding requiredstructural modifications to aircraft 150), and then the number ofinstalled fittings 152 varied from mission to mission to meet thepayload requirements of each mission.

In another embodiment involving installation of the same RPS design asdescribed in the preceding paragraph for another aircraft of the exactsame type (e.g., Beechcraft King Air 350), a user may anticipate fromthe outset only ever needing a portion (e.g., 16 or 12 or 8 or 4, etc.)of the maximum possible number of 26 fittings for this same RPS design.In such a case, an aircraft 150 may be modified to include provision foronly the anticipated maximum number of fittings (e.g., 16 or 12 or 8 or4, etc.) at the time the given aircraft 150 is modified and the RPSinstalled. For example, a user only requiring a point solution payloadcapability (and not a swappable payload capability) may save money byonly installing those fittings 152 required to enable the pointsolution. Whether or not an aircraft 150 is modified to support the fullnumber of fittings 152 (or only a portion thereof) the RPS design iscomplete and either all or just a portion of the RPS fittings of theapproved STC design are installed.

It will be understood that in one exemplary embodiment, mountingadapters 154 may be configured to be exchangeable between differentaircraft. In this regard, RPS design, including load envelope andfitting pattern, may be standardized (e.g., per ICD) across differentaircraft 150 of the same type so that once an RPS is installed on agiven aircraft 150, mounting adapters 154 should pin up to fittings 152even if individual mounting adapters 154 has some optional customizationsuch as for a different fairing 101 for example. In this regard,fittings 152 of a given RPS design for a given aircraft type may beinstalled in the same locations on different aircraft 150 of the sameaircraft type so as to allow mounting adapters 154 to be transferredbetween different aircraft 150, i.e., with mounting adapter154-to-fitting 152 interfaces remaining constant.

With regard to the embodiments of FIGS. 1A-1C2, a quick disconnect panel100 may be provided in one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B toallow exterior and interior electrical harnesses (or other types ofpayload interface lines including fluid conduits such as hydrauliclines, liquid coolant lines for heat exchange cooling, etc.) associatedwith various RPS payload/s (e.g., that may be mounted to payload rails103 in FIG. 1A or to rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119 of mounting adapter154 of FIGS. 1B and 1C1) which may be later removed from payload rails103 or rails 122/hardpoints 119 to be quickly connected and disconnectedusing the quick disconnect panel 100. In such an embodiment, quickdisconnect panel 100 enables the aircraft operator to rapidly swap orinterchange different payload/s and their associated interface harnesseswithout having to modify the aircraft fuselage 180 at each payloadchange. The particular illustrated location and configuration of quickdisconnect panel 100 is exemplary only, it being understood that morethan one disconnect panel 100 may be provided in a variety of suitablelocations on an aircraft, depending on size and complexity of theaircraft and/or payloads. In one exemplary embodiment, disconnect panels100 may be distributed at various locations on fuselage 180 (e.g., inlocations adjacent to different sections of payload rails 103 ordifferent sections of rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119 of mountingadapter section's 154), and then optionally employed in variouscombinations to fit the requirements of given missions and payloadcombinations or when an adjacent rail or mounting adapter section isused for a given mission. In one example, one or more of multipleinstalled disconnect panels 100 may be blanked off (with no openings orinterface lines extending there through) for future use when needed.Further information regarding an exemplary quick disconnect panel 100 isprovide in relation to FIGS. 5-7 herein.

FIGS. 2A-2B and 3 illustrate alternate views of the fixed wingedaircraft 150 and installed RPS embodiments of FIGS. 1A-1C1. As shown inFIGS. 2A-2B and 3, quick disconnect panel 100 may be recessed within theaircraft fuselage 180 to provide external access for connecting anddisconnecting signal conductors (e.g., electrical and/or optical signalconductors) or other type/s of payload operation support harnesses forvarious payload components that may be installed and removed from RPSinner payload rails 103, or installed and removed from RPS mountingadapter 154 (e.g., with rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119), as furtherdescribed herein in relation to FIGS. 5-7.

FIG. 4A illustrates a simplified front view of aircraft fuselage 180 andinstalled RPS embodiment of FIG. 1A. In FIG. 4A, an exemplary swappable(or interchangeable) payload component 105 is illustrated mechanicallycoupled to inner payload rails 103 by payload adapter 104 andsurrounding by a payload fairing 101. It will be understood thatexternal payload component 105 of FIG. 4A may be any type of device orobject that is suitable for mounting externally to fuselage 180 ofaircraft 150 via payload rails 103. FIG. 4B illustrates a simplifiedfront view of aircraft fuselage 180 and installed RPS embodiment ofFIGS. 1B-1C1. In FIG. 4B, an exemplary swappable (or interchangeable)external payload component 105 is illustrated mechanically coupled tothe mounting adapter 154 with rails 122 externally to (or outside) thefuselage 180 and surrounded by a payload fairing 101. In FIG. 4C, anexemplary swappable (or interchangeable) payload component 105 isillustrated mechanically coupled to the mounting adapter 154 withhardpoints 119 and surrounding by a payload fairing 101. It will beunderstood that payload component 105 of FIGS. 4B and 4C may be any typeof device or object that is suitable for mounting to aircraft 150 viapayload mounting adapter 154 with rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119. Itwill be understood that payload component 105 of FIGS. 4B and 4C notdesigned to directly mount mounting adapter 154 with rails 122 and/orhardpoints 119 may use a payload adapter 104 between payload component105 and mounting adapter 154.

It will be understood that a given payload component 105 of theembodiments of FIGS. 4A-4C may be configured to be electrically coupledto other equipment contained within fuselage 180 (e.g., such as activeor passive electrical or electronic component/s), or may be configuredto be mounted on payload rails 103 (i.e., in the case of FIG. 4Aembodiment) or mounted to mounting adapter 154 with rails 122 and/orhardpoints 119 (i.e., in the case of FIG. 4B or 4C embodiment) with noelectrical or other connection to equipment contained within fuselage180 (e.g., such as cargo or supplies, self-contained sensors or otherbattery or, etc.). In one exemplary embodiment, active or passiveelectronic payload components may be electrically and/or opticallycoupled via quick disconnect panel 100 to associated internalcomponent/s of payload equipment located within the fuselage of aircraft150, e.g., such as power generating equipment, signal monitoringequipment, signal recording equipment, signal transmitting equipment,control signal generating equipment, transceiver equipment, etc. Othertypes of payload components may be self-contained (e.g., havingself-contained power supply, self-contained recording or monitoringequipment, self-contained wireless communication capability, etc.) andtherefore not require electrical or optical connection to othercomponents or equipment internal to fuselage 180. In the latter case,quick disconnect panel 100 need not be used, and optionally may not bepresent at all.

Examples of suitable types of payload components 105 that may installedand interchanged in a given RPS include, but are not limited to,optic/electro-optic sensors, infrared sensors, antennas (passive andactive), antenna arrays (passive and active), self-protect orcountermeasure sensors, self-protect or countermeasure dispensers, radar(of various types and capabilities) sensors, light direction and ranging(LIDAR) sensors, foliage penetration (FOPEN) sensors, weapons,dispensers (e.g., such as for leaflets), laser emitters, laserdetectors, environmental sensors (e.g., such as pollution, radiation,airborne particle, thermal, gaseous, weather, etc.), data links,multi-intelligence (of which many of the above payload types arerelated), deployable provisions (e.g., such as life sustainingsupplies), communication jamming, etc.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4A, payload fairing 101is shown coupled to the outer fairing rails 102 in position to surroundpayload component 105. In this embodiment, outer fairing rails 102 areconfigured to mechanically couple the aerodynamic and inertial loads ofthe fairing 101 to the aircraft fuselage. As shown, swappable payloadcomponent 105 may be mechanically coupled to an optional payload adapteras shown, which is in turn coupled to inner payload rails 103. In suchan embodiment, payload adapter 104 is configured to provide a mountinginterface (where needed) between unique mounting provisions of aswappable payload and the common (or standardized) mounting features ofinner payload rail 103. Inner payload rail 103 in turn couples theinertial load of the swappable payload component 105 to the aircraftfuselage 180. In an embodiment where swappable payload component 105 ismounted in the airstream without the presence of a payload fairing 101,inner payload rails 103 are configured to couple the inertial andaerodynamic loads of the swappable payload component 105 to the aircraftfuselage 180.

In one exemplary alternative embodiment of FIG. 4A, inner payload rail103 may be a hybrid section with optional hardpoints to enable amultitude of user defined solutions. One or more of such hardpoints maybe made available between rail sections to provide the ability toinstall heavier or larger dimension payloads that may require hardpointsfor mounting rather than a rail due to weight or clearance requirements.Thus, inner rails 103 may in one embodiment each be a series of railsections, or may be a hybrid configuration of rail sections that areseparated by hardpoints that mount directly to the aircraft fuselage180, e.g., with sections of inner payload rail 103 installed (e.g., toother hardpoints) between hardpoints. In either case, the disclosed RPSenveloped loads design and enveloped payload installation methodologiesmay be employed for mounting of payloads to the hardpoints as since theloads envelope established for that section of the rail apply to thepositional related hardpoints. Thus, the disclosed RPS enveloped loadsdesign and enveloped payload installation methodologies are applicablefor mounting of external payload components and fairings to a givenaircraft fuselage using different types of external payload attachmentfeatures (e.g., such as payload rails, fairing rails, hardpoints of theembodiment of FIG. 1A, mounting adapters having integral payload railsand/or payload hardpoints such as the embodiment of FIG. 1B, etc.), aswell as combinations of such external payload attachment features.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4B, payload fairing101 is shown coupled to the mounting adapter 154 in position to surroundpayload component 105. In this embodiment, mounting adapter 154 isconfigured to mechanically couple the aerodynamic and inertial loads ofthe fairing 101 to the aircraft fuselage via fuselage fittings 152. Asshown, swappable payload component 105 may be mechanically coupled topayload rails 122 of mounting adapter 154. It will be understood thatpayload component 105 of FIG. 4B may additionally or alternativelycoupled to hardpoints 119 of mounting adapter 154. In either case, itwill be understood that an optional adapter component (e.g., similar topayload adapter 104 of FIG. 4A) may be configured to provide a mountinginterface (where needed) between unique mounting provisions of aswappable payload 105 and the common (e.g., standardized) mountingfeatures 122 and/or 119 of mounting adapter 154. As shown in FIG. 4B,mounting adapter 154 in turn couples the inertial load of the swappablepayload component 105 to the aircraft fuselage 180 via fuselage fittings152.

As with the embodiment of FIG. 4A, a swappable payload component 105 maybe mounted in the airstream without the presence of a payload fairing101. In such an embodiment, payload rails 122 and/or payload hardpoints119 of the mounting adapter 154 may be used to couple the inertial andaerodynamic loads of the removable/swappable payload component 105 tothe aircraft fuselage 180 via fuselage fittings 152. In anotheralternative embodiment, a mounting adapter 154 may be configured asneeded to meet the specific needs (e.g., required spacing, requirednumber and/or location of rails and/or hardpoints, etc.) of a payloadcomponent 105 that does not have a common (or standardized) mountingconfiguration of payload rails 122 and payload hardpoints 119. In suchan alternative embodiment, a mounting adapter 154 may be configured withany required or otherwise suitable specific and non-standardconfiguration of rails, hardpoints or other type payload attachmentprovisions to fit the needs of a given payload attachment application.

FIG. 4D illustrates how various components of an exemplary RPSinstallation (e.g., including sixteen fittings 152, four mountingadapter section's 154, two payloads 105 and four fairing section/s 101)may be configured to be assembled and removed from the bottom side 170of a given aircraft fuselage 180 as needed, i.e., in this case with eachmounting adapter section 154 being mounted to fuselage bottom 170 withfour fittings 152. As shown, peripheral fairing interface area of eachmounting adapter section 154 includes fairing interface fastenerlocations 483 that are defined in fairing interface 493 withstandardized spacing and location (e.g., with location, size and spacingspecified by ICD) so as to align and mate with corresponding fairingfastener locations 481 defined around the mating perimeter of fairingsection/s 101. Each of faring interface fastener locations 483 may be,for example, machine-threaded openings defined in fairing interface areaof a given mounting adapter 154 that is configured to accept a threadedfastener such as a bolt, screw, etc. After installation on an aircraft150, all RPS components (including fuselage fittings 152) may then betemporarily removed in one embodiment from aircraft fuselage 180 toresult in a “slick” airframe, e.g., to allow the aircraft 150 to beflown between airports or other locations with no RPS componentsattached to the bottom side 170 of fuselage 180. In any case, screws orother suitable fasteners may be threaded into holes in fuselage bottom170 where unused fittings 152 are mounted when used. After arrival at anew location with a slick airframe, the RPS components may then bereassembled to the bottom side 170 of the aircraft fuselage 180 in themanner illustrated in FIG. 4D.

FIG. 4E illustrates in cross section one exemplary embodiment of anassembled mounting adapter 154 such as shown in FIG. 4D. As illustratedin FIG. 4E, an exemplary payload 105 is provided with rail payloadfastener locations 451 and hardpoint payload fastener locations 453 thateach may have standardized spacing and location on payload 105 (e.g.,with location, size and spacing specified by ICD). Also as illustratedin FIG. 4E, payload 105 is mounted across adjacent mounting adapter 154c and 154 d using the standardized rail payload fastener locations 451and standardized hardpoint payload fastener locations 453. Payloads 105may be mounted to a single or multiple mounting adapters 154 dependingon the size of the payload and desired location of payload 105 along thelongitudinal axis 160. As shown in FIG. 4E, rail payload fastenerlocations 451 are spaced and located so as to align and mate with railfastener locations 183 on each mounting adapter 154 b and 154 c at thesame time that hardpoint payload fastener locations 453 are aligned andmated with hardpoint fastener locations 187 on each mounting adapter 154b and 154 c, it being understood that any given payload 105 may only beprovided with one of rail payload fastener locations 451 or hardpointpayload fastener locations 453, and/or that any given mounting adapter154 may only be provided with one of payload rails 122 or payloadhardpoints 119 as illustrated in FIG. 4F.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4E, mounting adapters are mounted to fuselagebottom 170 in relative position to each other (e.g., suitably spacedapart) by fasteners 152 such that the longitudinal periodicity betweenstandardized rail fastener locations 183 (constant rail fastenerperiodicity annotated in FIG. 4E) and longitudinal periodicity betweenstandardized hardpoint fastener locations 187 (constant hardpointfastener periodicity annotated in FIG. 1C1 but also present in FIG. 4E)is maintained constant across different mounting adapters 154 of a RPSsuch that a payload 105 may be mounted as shown in FIG. 4E across two ormore mounting adapter sections of the same RPS using the standardizedrail payload fastener locations 451 and standardized hardpoint payloadfastener locations 453 of the payload 105. In one exemplary embodiment,spacing “Y” between adjacent mounting adapters 154 may be selected oradjusted (e.g., from no space to an optional gap of suitable dimension)as needed to maintain the periodicity of both the rail fastenerlocations 183 and hardpoint fasteners 187 across sections 154 for agiven RPS installation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4F, a payload 105 a is only configured withhardpoint payload fastener locations 453 that mechanically couplepayload 105 a to a mounting adapter 154 a that itself is only providedwith payload hardpoints 119 (and not payload rails 122) viacorresponding hardpoint fastener locations 187. Also as shown in FIG.4F, a payload 105 b is only configured with rail payload fastenerlocations 451 that mechanically couple payload 105 b to a separatemounting adapter 154 b that is only provided with payload rails 122 (andnot payload hardpoints 119) via corresponding rail fastener locations183.

It will be understood that multiple different types of swappable orinterchangeable payloads other than payload 105 of FIG. 4E (e.g., suchas 105 b of FIG. 4D, payloads 105 a and 105 b of FIG. 4F, and thedifferent illustrated interchangeable payloads 850 of FIG. 8B) may allbe provided with rail payload fastener locations 451 and/or hardpointpayload fastener locations 453 that are spaced and located so as tosimilarly align and mate with the same rail fastener locations 183and/or hardpoint payload fastener locations 187 in the same manner aspayload 105 in FIG. 4E and payloads 105 a and 105 b in FIG. 4F, i.e., soas to allow a given payload 105 to be removed and replaced with one ormore different types of payloads 105 using the same rail payloadfastener locations 451 and/or hardpoint payload fastener locations 453.

Fairing 101 is mechanically coupled to peripheral fairing interface 493of mounting adapter 154 by suitable fairing fasteners 410 (e.g., machinescrews, latches, attachment hardware, etc.) received through fairingfastener locations 481 that are aligned with fairing interface fastenerlocations 483 as further illustrated and described in relation to FIG.4G. In one exemplary embodiment, each of fastener locations 451, 453,183, and 187 may be fastener openings defined to receive suitablerespective fasteners (e.g., such as machine screws, attachment hardware,etc.) that extend through each pair of aligned and mated fasteneropenings 451 and 183, and that extend through each pair of aligned andmated fastener openings 453 and 187, so as to securely mechanicallycouple the payload component 105 to the mounting adapter section 154. Itwill be understood that in one exemplary embodiment, fairing interfacefastener locations 483 may be defined on each of mounting adapters 154with a standardized regular spacing such that the spacing of fairinginterface fastener locations 483 remains regular across the faringinterfaces 493 of different mounting adapter sections 154 so as to allowthe mating fairing fastener locations 481 of an interchangeable fairingcomponent 101 to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced faring interface fastener locations 483 on two or moreof the multiple separate mounting adapter sections 154 to mechanicallycouple the interchangeable fairing component 101 to the aircraftfuselage 180, e.g., in a manner similar to that illustrated anddescribed in relation to FIG. 4F for mounting a payload 105 acrossmultiple mounting adapter sections 154.

FIG. 4G illustrates relationship between an exemplary embodiment ofmated RPS components, such as the RPS components illustrated in FIGS.4D-4F. As shown in FIG. 4G, fuselage fittings 152 may be mechanicallycoupled to bottom side 170 of an aircraft fuselage 180 by fittingfasteners (attachment hardware (e.g., such as bolts, screws, etc.) 471which extend through a skin reinforcement 460 (e.g., structural doubler,structural tripler, etc.) that is positioned between each fitting 152and fuselage 180. Fuselage fittings 152 are in turn coupled to mountingadapter 154 by attachment hardware. In the illustrated embodiment, eachof rails 122 are coupled to mounting adapter 154 by suitable fasteners(e.g., bolts, screws, attachment hardware, etc.). As further illustratedfairing 101 is mechanically coupled to fairing interface 493 by suitablefairing fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, latches, attachment hardware,etc.) received through aligned fairing fastener locations 481 that arealigned with fairing interface fastener locations 483.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4G, rails 122 may be separatecomponents attached to mounting adapter 154 using any suitable commonfastener (e.g., machine bolt-nut, etc.), but in another embodiment maybe machined as integral parts of mounting adapter 154. In the embodimentof FIG. 4G, hardpoints 119 are machined as integral parts of mountingadapter 154, but in an alternate embodiment may be separate componentsattached to mounting adapter 154 using common fasteners (e.g., machinebolt-nut, etc.). Also in FIG. 4G, captive nuts 410 may be provided inone exemplary embodiment as shown for coupling fairing 101 to mountingadapter 154, and captive nuts 420 may be provided as shown for couplinginterchangeable payload 105 (or optional payload spacer or adapter 104)to mounting adapter 154 and for coupling rails 122 to mounting adapter154, respectively (e.g., using machine screws). Where optionallyemployed, payload adapter such as described in relation to FIG. 4A maybe mechanically coupled between payload rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119of mounting adapter 154 and a given payload 105, which may then becoupled to the payload adapter 104 as illustrated and described inrelation to FIG. 4A.

It will be understood in one embodiment that the pattern, spacing and/ornumber of fuselage fittings 152 may vary by aircraft type and/or mayvary between different given aircraft 150 (e.g., a different numberand/or pattern of fittings 152 may be employed on different aircraft tomatch the particular structure of the given aircraft 150) while thelocation and spacing of hardpoints 119, rails 122, and fairinginterfaces 493 (together with their associated fastener locations forpayloads 105 and fairings 101) may be standardized (e.g., by ICDspecification) and the same for all mounting adapter section/s 154,regardless of any difference in the pattern, spacing and/or number offittings 152 employed on a given aircraft 150. In such a case, differentmounting adapter section/s 154 may be configured to have the samestandardized location and spacing of hardpoints 119, rails 122, andfairing interfaces 493 (together with their associated fastenerlocations for payloads 105 and fairings 101), while having differentpatterns, spacing and/or number of fittings 152 for mounting adaptersection/s 154 to the fuselage 180 of different aircraft 150. Thus, agiven payload 105 or fairing 101 (having standardized fastener locations451, 453, and 481) may be easily installed, removed, transferred andre-installed on aircraft having different pattern, spacing and/or numberof fuselage fittings 152 using differently configured mounting adapters154 but without any modification to the fastener locations of thepayload 105 or fairing 101.

FIG. 5A illustrates a simplified side view of a RPS quick disconnectpanel 100 as it may be configured and installed on aircraft 150according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods. FIG. 5B illustrates a simplified side view of an alternativeembodiment of a RPS quick disconnect panel 100. As previously described,one or more of such RPS quick disconnect panels 100 may be optionallyprovided as part of a RPS installation where payload components 105 areused (or anticipated to be used) that will require connection viapayload interface lines to internal aircraft components (e.g., such asfor signal connection to electrical and/or optical signal processingand/or control signal-generating components, fluid circulation lines forcirculating hydraulic actuation fluid or coolant fluids such as air orwater, etc.). In the practice of the disclosed systems and methods, adisconnect panel 100 may have any configuration that is suitable forproviding temporary payload interface connection (e.g., pluggable andunpluggable fluid line interconnection, electrical or optical signalinterconnection, etc.) between one or more external payload components105 and internal equipment within aircraft 150 during a given mission's.In the particular illustrated embodiment, disconnect panel 100incorporates a two-piece structural design that includes a disconnectreceptacle block 107 with structural reinforcement 110 and disconnectplug block 108. In the illustrated embodiment, structural reinforcement110 is provided as a structural doubler. However, it will be understoodthat in other embodiments any other type of structural reinforcement 110may be optionally employed as desired or needed to fit thecharacteristics of a given application including, for example, doubler,tripler, or any other type of structural reinforcement known in the artor otherwise suitable for aircraft structural reinforcement practices).It will also be understood that presence of structural reinforcement 110is optional, and may not be needed in some applications.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, disconnect receptacle block 107 may beinstalled with a structural reinforcement 110 on aircraft fuselage skin185 around an aperture 118 in the form of a fuselage skin penetrationdefined through skin 185 (shown in FIGS. 6A and 6C), and is configuredto be structural in design as further detailed herein so to retain thestructural integrity of aircraft fuselage 180 around the fuselage skinpenetration of aperture 118. Disconnect plug block 108 may be configuredas a structural member which interfaces and mates with (e.g.,mechanically couples to) receptacle block 107 on the interior side ofthe aircraft fuselage skin 185. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5A,disconnect plug block 108 may incorporate a plate 121 which provides asurface and structure to mount one or more cabin equipment harnessconnector/s 111 to the internal fuselage (e.g., cabin) side ofdisconnect receptacle block 107.

As further shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, cabin equipment harness connector/s111 are each attached to a terminal end of a respective cabin equipmentharness 112 which is internal to the aircraft fuselage 180 and connectedto internal payload equipment located in the aircraft cabin interior.Also shown are payload harness connectors 113 that are each are eachattached to a terminal end of a respective payload equipment harness 114located exterior to the aircraft and coupled to one or more payloadcomponents 105 or other payload equipment within the proximity of theRPS. Each of harnesses 112 and 114 may contain electrical and/or opticalsignal conductor/s (e.g., for communicating electrical and/or opticalsignals) or fluid circulation lines (e.g., for circulating hydraulicactuation fluid or coolant fluids such as air or water, etc.) betweeninternal payload equipment and one or more passive or active payloadcomponents 105 that are mechanically coupled to payload rails 103 of theembodiment of FIGS. 1A and 2A or to payload rails 122 and/or hardpoints119 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1B, 1C1 and 2B.

Still referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, structural reinforcement 110 may beinstalled along with the disconnect receptacle block 107 whereadditional fuselage skin support is needed or otherwise desired aroundfuselage skin penetration of aperture 118 illustrated in FIGS. 6A and6B. The installed combination of structural reinforcement 110 withdisconnect receptacle block 107 effectively forms a structurallyreinforced aperture (hole) 118 in the skin 185 of aircraft fuselage 180through which the payload equipment harness connectors 113 can pass andbe connected to the mating payload harness connectors 111. As shown forthe embodiment of FIG. 5A, alignment features in the form of one or morealignment/retention pins 109 may be provided to extend from disconnectreceptacle block 107 to align and mate with correspondingalignment/retention pin thru-holes 116 of FIG. 7B defined through matingflanges 123 and mating collars 125 of FIG. 7B of disconnect plug block108 so as to align the disconnect plug block 108 to the disconnectreceptacle block 107 during installation. Optional retention provisionssuch as threaded ends defined on the terminal ends ofalignment/retention pins 109 (e.g., with common aircraft hardware) maybe used to retain the disconnect plug block 108 in assembled form withthe disconnect receptacle block 107 of FIG. 5A. It will be understoodthat the particular illustrated alignment features of FIG. 5A areoptional and exemplary, i.e., no alignment features may be provided oralignment features of different configuration may be provided.

In the alternate embodiment of FIG. 5B, no alignment features 109 areprovided. Rather, in the embodiment of FIG. 5B, disconnect receptacleblock 107 and disconnect plug block 108 are configured (e.g., designedand machined) to self-align as shown. In such an alternate embodiment,retention hardware provisions 199 such as threaded ends and nutplates(e.g., with common aircraft hardware) may be used to retain thedisconnect plug block 108 in assembled form with the disconnectreceptacle block 107.

FIGS. 6A-6B and 6C-6D illustrate respective overhead and side views of areceptacle block 107 with associated structural doubler reinforcement110 of the corresponding different exemplary embodiments of RPS quickdisconnect panel 100 of respective FIGS. 5A and 5B as each may beinstalled on an aircraft 150. In each case, receptacle block 107 may beconstructed of any one or more pieces of material/s that aresufficiently lightweight and strong to fit the needs of a given RPSinstallation, e.g., such as block aluminum, carbon fiber composite, etc.Similarly, one or both of structural reinforcement features 110 may beconstructed of materials such as sheet aluminum, carbon fiber compositesheet, etc. suitable for providing structural reinforcement to fuselageskin 185. In one exemplary embodiment, upper (interior) structuralreinforcement feature 110 may be an integrally formed component ofreceptacle block 107 while lower (exterior) structural reinforcement 110may be a separate discrete component. Each of receptacle block 107 andstructural reinforcement feature/s 110 may have an opening 190 definedtherein that is complementary shape and size to the fuselage skinpenetration of aperture 118. In this regard, an exemplary shape and sizeof fuselage skin penetration and resulting aperture 118 is shown in thetop down view of FIG. 6A, it being understood that any other suitableshape and/or relative size of fuselage skin penetration of aperture 118may be employed to fit the characteristics or needs of a given RPSinstallation. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B, a recessedopening 190 may be defined as shown through the bottom surface ofreceptacle block 107 to form a receptacle recess for receivingdisconnect receptacle plug 108.

Also illustrated in both embodiments of FIGS. 6A-6B and 6C-6D is anoptional pressurization seal 115 (e.g., synthetic rubber, etc.) that maybe, for example, installed in a machined boss in peripheral floorsurface (e.g., inward extending peripheral shelf) 138 of disconnectreceptacle block 107 that surrounds the recessed opening 190 that isconfigured to be aligned with aperture 118 during RPS installation. Sucha pressurization seal 115 may be optionally provided to form an airtightseal with a complementary mating machined surface in the disconnect plugblock 108 for RPS installations on pressurized aircraft. Innon-pressurized applications, such as RPS installations on droneaircraft, no such pressurization seal may be provided.

FIGS. 7A-7B and 7C-7D illustrate respective underside and side views ofa disconnect plug block 108 of respective different exemplaryembodiments of RPS quick disconnect panel 100 of the correspondingrespective embodiments of FIGS. 5A and 5B as each may be installed on anaircraft 150. In each case, plug block 108 may be constructed of any oneor more pieces of material/s that are sufficiently lightweight andstrong to fit the needs of a given RPS installation, e.g., such as blockaluminum, carbon fiber composite, etc. In one exemplary embodiment, adisconnect plug block 108 may be machined from a single monolithic pieceof aluminum. As previously described, alignment/retention pin thru-holes116 of FIGS. 7A-7B are dimensioned and configured to accept thecorresponding alignment/retention pins 109 located extending upward fromthe disconnect receptacle block 107, while retention hardware thru-holes116 of FIGS. 7C-7D are dimensioned and configured to accept thecorresponding retention hardware 109 when connecting plug block 108 ontodisconnect receptacle block 107. In each case, a peripheral matingmachined surface 192 may be provided as shown on the underside ofdisconnect plug block 108 for mating and forming an airtight seal withpressurization seal 115 provided on peripheral floor/bottom surface 138of disconnect receptacle block 107 for RPS installations on pressurizedaircraft.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 7A-7B, an exemplary pattern of threeconnector thru-holes 117 are shown defined in plate 121 (e.g., anintegral plate) of disconnect plug block 108 through which threecorresponding cabin equipment harness connector/s 111 may be mounted andinstalled, e.g., via threaded connectors or other types of connectorsthat may be provided on the upper (cabin) side of plate 121. In thisregard, disconnect plug block 108 may be designed to accept a variety ofcabin equipment harness connector/s 111 quantities and types, e.g., byproviding different types of connectors on the upper side of plate 121or by utilizing mating environmental connectors having flanges that forma seal around plate 121. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7A and 7B,an outer peripheral dimension of a block portion 129 of disconnect plugblock 108 may be dimensioned to be received within recessed opening 190of disconnect receptacle block 107 such that peripheral mating edgesurface 192 of bottom plate 121 of disconnect plug block 108 mates withperipheral floor surface 138 of disconnect receptacle block 107 to forman airtight seal using pressurization seal 115. A recessed interiorcavity 127 may be provided within block portion 108 to extend between anopening 133 defined in upper plate of disconnect plug block 108 andconnector thru-holes 117 defined in bottom plate 121 of disconnect plugblock 108. Cabin equipment harness connector/s 111 may be insertedthrough opening 133 in a top plate 163 of disconnect plug block 108 fromcabin side of disconnect plug block 108 so as to be received andpositioned within recessed interior 127 for connection to correspondingconnector/s on top surface of bottom plate 121 of disconnect plug block108.

In the alternate embodiment of FIGS. 7C-7D, an exemplary pattern of twoconnector thru-holes 117 are shown defined in surface area of plate 121(e.g., integral plate) of disconnect plug block 108 through which twocorresponding cabin equipment harness connector/s 111 may be mounted andinstalled, e.g., via threaded connectors or other types of connectorsthat may be provided on the upper (cabin) side of surface area 121. Inthis regard, disconnect plug block 108 may be designed to accept avariety of cabin equipment harness connector/s 111 quantities and types,e.g., by providing different types of connectors on the upper side ofsurface area 121 or by utilizing mating environmental connectors havingflanges that form a seal around surface area of plate 121. In theexemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7C and 7D, an outer peripheral dimensionof a block portion 192 of disconnect plug block 108 may be dimensionedto be received within recessed opening 190 (see FIGS. 6A-6B) ofdisconnect receptacle block 107 such that peripheral mating edge surface192 of bottom surface area 121 of disconnect plug block 108 mates withperipheral floor surface 138 of disconnect receptacle block 107.

It will be understood that either of the embodiment of FIGS. 5A/6A/6Band the embodiment of FIGS. 5B/6C/6D may be employed. In each embodimentdisconnect receptacle block 107 may be employed to provide a basis for astructural penetration in the fuselage skin. In the embodiment of 5B, 6Cand 6D, the exterior side harnesses 114 and connectors 113 are broughtup into a deeper cavity interior to the aircraft 150 compared to theembodiment of FIGS. 5A, 6A and 6B, which provides more clearance forconnectors 113 and harnesses 114 from payloads 105 and mounting adapters154 in order to reduce overall vertical dimension stack-up of componentsmounted on the exterior of the aircraft 150. In either case a disconnectplug block 108 may be employed that may be quickly swapped with anotherdisconnect plug block 108 having a different design definition withdifferent interior harnesses 112 and connectors 111.

With regard to each of the embodiments of FIGS. 7A-7B and 7C-7D, it willbe understood that the particular size, number and pattern of connectorthru holes 117 is exemplary only and that any size and/or pattern of oneor more connector thru holes 117 may be defined within bottom plate 121.Thus, different disconnect plug blocks 108 (having different numbers,configuration and/or types of connector thru holes) may be interchangedas needed or desired to fit the characteristics of a current payloadtype and/or combination for each mission. Additionally, in oneembodiment bottom plate 121 or surface area 191 of a disconnect plugblock 108 installed in a mating disconnect receptacle block 107 may beblank (with no thru holes 117 provided in plate 121 or surface area191), while at the same time allowing for future installation of adisconnect plug block 108 having one or more thru-holes 117 (ormodification of the existing blank plug block 108 to have thru-hole/s117) when needed for a payload mission. Moreover, it will be understoodthat the particular illustrated embodiment of RPS quick disconnect panel100 is exemplary only, and that other types and configurations ofdisconnect panels may be employed (including one piece panels that areinstalled through the fuselage skin 185) together with one or more ofthe RPS features described herein.

FIG. 8A illustrates a simplified underside view of an exemplaryembodiment of a given RPS-equipped aircraft 150 of FIGS. 1A, 2A and 4Ahaving different payload combinations that each include different numberand types of payload components 850 as they may be installed andinterchanged (swapped) on the same set of inner payload rails 103 usingthe provisions of the RPS installed on the same aircraft 150, and whileat the same time each payload combination remains within the sameacceptable RPS load envelope for the given aircraft 150. As shown,payload combination 802 includes one payload component (e.g., sensor)850 and payload combination 804 includes three payload components (e.g.,sensors) 850. Each of payload combinations 806, 808 and 810 includesfour payload components (e.g., sensors) 850, but each differentcombination includes different types of payload components 850 that aremounted in different longitudinal locations along payload rails 103. Itwill be understood that these and other payload combinations may beadvantageously interchanged between each other using the RPS accordingto the needs of each different mission for the same aircraft 150. Forpurpose of visibility, no aerodynamic fairings are shown installed onfairing rails 102 in any of the payload combinations of FIG. 8A except802. However, it will be understood that a variety of different fairings101 may be installed with any one or more of the illustrated payloadcombinations of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8B illustrates a simplified underside view of an exemplaryembodiment of a given RPS-equipped aircraft 150 of FIGS. 1B-1C2, 2B and4B-4C having different swappable payload combinations that each includedifferent number and types of payload components 850 as they may beinstalled and interchanged (swapped) on the same set of payload rails122 and/or hardpoints 119 using the standardized fastener locations andrail and/or hardpoint spacing provisions such as illustrated anddescribed in relation to FIGS. 1C1 and 1C2 (e.g., as may be set by ICD)of the RPS installed on the same aircraft 150, and while at the sametime each payload combination remains within the same acceptable RPSload envelope for the given aircraft 150. As shown, payload combination812 includes one payload component (e.g., sensor) 850. Payloadcombination 814 includes two payload components (e.g., sensors) 850.Payload combination 816 includes three payload components (e.g.,sensors) 850. Payload combination 818 includes four payload components(e.g., sensors) 850. As shown, each different payload combination mayinclude different number and/or types of payload components 850 that aremounted in different (e.g., and selectable) longitudinal locations alongpayload rails 122 and/or hardpoints 119.

For example, payload combination 814 of FIG. 8B includes a payload 850that is selectably mounted by standardized payload rails 122 and/orpayload hardpoints 119 in a rightmost position on mounting adapter 154b, and that may be interchanged with a different (center) payload 850that is shown selectably mounted by standardized payload rails 122and/or payload hardpoints 119 in a different (leftmost) longitudinallocation on the same mounting adapter 154 b in the payload combination816 of FIG. 8B. In payload combination 818 of FIG. 8B, the same payload850 of payload combination 816 has been moved and selectably mounted bystandardized payload rails 122 and/or payload hardpoints 119 in a new(centermost) location on the same mounting adapter 154 b. Thus, the sameor a different payload 850 (or 105) may be selectably mounted (andrelocated and remounted) as needed or desired in different locations onthe same given mounting adapter 154 using standardized payload fastenerlocations 451 and/or 453 that are mated with corresponding respectivestandardized rail fastener locations 183 and/or hardpoint fastenerlocations 187 of the respective payload rails 122 and/or payloadhardpoints 119 of the given mounting adapter 154.

With regard to FIG. 8B, it will be understood that these and otherpayload combinations may be advantageously interchanged between eachother using the RPS according to the needs of each different mission forthe same aircraft 150. For purpose of visibility, no aerodynamicfairings are shown installed on mounting adapter 154 in the payloadcombinations 814, 816, and 818 of FIG. 8B. An aerodynamic fairing 101 isshown installed on mounting adapter 154 (not visible) in the payloadcombinations 812 of FIG. 8B. It will be understood that a variety ofdifferent fairings 101 may be installed with any one or more of theillustrated payload combinations of FIG. 8B.

FIG. 9 illustrates aircraft loads by fuselage section according to oneexemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods. Inparticular, FIG. 9 shows an exemplary summation of hypothetical fuselageloads by fuselage station along the longitudinal axis 160 of an aircraft150. In the case of the embodiment of FIGS. 1A, 2A and 4A, the loadsshown are the applied limit aerodynamic loads which are resulting fromfairings 101 coupled to outer fairing rails 102, interior 1G inertialpayloads, and exterior 1G inertial payloads which are resulting fromfairings 101 coupled to outer fairing rails 102 and from swappablepayload 105 and payload adapter 104 coupled to payload rails 103.Exterior inertial payloads in the case of embodiment of FIGS. 1A, 2A and4A also include fasteners, harnesses, connectors, etc. associated withthe exterior components of fairings, payloads, and payload adapters. Inthe case of the embodiment of FIGS. 1B-1C1, 2B and 4B-4C, the loadsshown in FIG. 9 are the applied limit aerodynamic loads which areresulting from fairings 101, 1G interior inertial payloads, and 1Gexterior inertial payloads which are resulting from fairings 101,swappable payload 105, and payload adapter 104 (if required) coupled tomounting adapter 154 and fuselage fittings 152. Exterior inertialpayloads in the case of embodiment of FIGS. 1B-1C1, 2B and 4B-4C alsoinclude fasteners, harnesses, connectors, etc. associated with theexterior components of fairings 101, payloads 105, and payload adapters104, mounting adapter(s) 154, and fuselage fittings 152.

The summation of the loads by fuselage station as shown in FIG. 9represent the total allowable loads for a given fuselage station whichestablishes an RPS envelope limit for the RPS modified aircraft 150 andfor a given fuselage station. It will be understood that the summationof the three components of loads provided in FIG. 9 for a given fuselagerepresents the limit loads at that fuselage station which are used inthe design flow described in FIG. 11A to establish RPS envelope loads.Note that FIG. 9 also notes exemplary breakdown of RPS sections (shownas RPS Sections 1-4 in FIG. 9) as they positionally relate to fuselagestation. The loads are used as input to the stress analysis models anddetermine the local modification required to the existing aircraftstructure such as floors, intercostals, and frames for example.

In one respect, FIG. 9 illustrates an available operational envelope(RPS Loads Envelope curve) of total permissible aircraft loads by cabinor fuselage section locations for a RPS installation configuredaccording to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems andmethods. Although illustrated in this embodiment distributed on asectionalized fuselage station basis from forward to aft of an aircraft150, it will be understood that a loads envelope may alternatively bedefined or otherwise characterized as a continuous (e.g., X-Y) functionof aircraft position between forward and aft location of a givenaircraft 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the uppermost value of eachseparate vertical bar represents the total permissible load for a givenfuselage station. Within each fuselage station, total load may bedistributed between interior fuselage payload, exterior payload (e.g.,payload components 850), and aerodynamic load under flight conditions.This distribution may vary according to changing internal payloadcomponents, external payload components and/or external fairingcomponents, such that the total load (height) of the vertical bars ofFIG. 9 (which represents the summation of the three internal andexternal loads components) does not exceed the RPS Loads Envelope (e.g.,as a user interchanges or swaps out various internal and/or externalcomponents to cause the relative distribution between interior fuselagepayload, exterior payload, and aerodynamic load to change). A given RPSloads envelope such as illustrated in FIG. 9 may be defined bycharacteristics of a RPS as it may be configured and installed on agiven aircraft 150, for example, using the RPS configuration methodologyof FIG. 11A based on a survey of possible different desired payloadcomponents 850.

Once a particular RPS configuration is installed in place on an aircraft150 (e.g., including payload rails 103 and fairing rails 102, orincluding fuselage fittings 152 and mounting adapter 154 with itspayload rail/s 122 and/or hardpoints 119, etc.), its corresponding RPSloads envelope may be employed by an aircraft operator to assessdifferent particular mission internal payload components, externalpayload components 850 and fairing components 101 (and/or combinationsof such components together with mounting provisions for same), toensure they are in compliance with the permissible loads envelope priorto installing a particular different combination of components on theaircraft 150 for a given mission. In one exemplary embodiment, an RPSICD may contain simplified data charts and plots with data based on theRPS loads envelope to aid the aircraft operator in determiningcompliance to the RPS loads envelope limits, for example as illustratedin FIG. 11G and further described elsewhere herein. This process may berepeated for each mission where different payload component/s areinstalled and employed, e.g., user selecting different desiredconfiguration of payload component/s, fairing component/s, and mountingprovisions for same (including fuselage station and/or other location).In one exemplary embodiment, an RPS configured according to theenveloped design methodology of FIG. 9 may be approved under an STC andinstalled on an aircraft 150, and then employed to allow multipledifferent payload components 850 and combinations thereof to beinstalled and/or interchanged on the RPS-equipped aircraft withoutrequiring a new STC as long as the combining of interior payload,exterior payload, and aerodynamic load under flight conditions does notexceed the permissible total load for a given location (e.g., fuselagestation) of the loads enveloped according to the particular RPS.

FIG. 10 illustrates the hypothetical fuselage bending moment envelope ofaircraft 150 from loads of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 9. In oneembodiment, the summation of payload weights by fuselage station asshown in FIG. 9 when added to basic, unmodified aircraft weight of eachfuselage station may be multiplied by the respective inertia limit loadfactor of each fuselage station and added to the aerodynamic load for atotal applied fuselage load. This total load may then be used todetermine the overall fuselage bending envelope for an aircraft 150 asshown by FIG. 10. The resulting overall fuselage bending moment envelopeof FIG. 10 which is derived from the inertial and aerodynamic loads ofFIG. 9 may be compared to a similar original equipment manufacturer(OEM) limit moment envelope to determine if the envelope of FIG. 10 isequal to or within the similar OEM limit moment envelope. If such is notthe case, then Stress engineers may determine the types of structuresand associated load capacity requirements which must be added to thefuselage structure to reinforce the fuselage structure capability toendure the additional loads. In one embodiment, this analysis may beused to determine the modification required to the aircraft structuresuch as strengthened frames (e.g., doublers, caps, clips, etc.),intercostals, stringers and skin doublers. Data such as this may begenerated for each point load solution, adjusted to account for futuregrowth of the RPS, and combined to determine the envelope of loads thatwill define the RPS operational limits.

In this regard, design flow 1100 of FIG. 11A describes the general stepsand sequences for establishing the baseline RPS loads envelope (e.g.,such as the exemplary RPS loads envelope illustrated in FIG. 9) andresulting baseline aircraft modification design requirements. In step1102, a survey (list) of payloads to include internal and externalpayloads that may be employed together for developing a RPS solution fora given aircraft 150 is completed. For example, FIG. 11B illustrates anexample survey of six different external payload configurations 1150a-1150 f with associated aerodynamic shapes (as defined by theircorresponding outer mold line), and FIG. 11C illustrates an examplesurvey of two different internal payload configurations 1160 a and 1160b, it being understood the number of different external payloadconfigurations 1150 surveyed may be more or less than six, and that thenumber of different internal payload configurations 1160 surveyed may bemore than two.

In FIG. 11B, the external payloads for each configuration 1150 are thoseassociated with the particular combination of fairing 101, payloadadapter 104, and/or swappable payload/s 105 as they may be present inthat configuration. In this regard, the survey of payloads includesthose payloads of interest that it is desired that the RPS accommodatein design and operation. In one exemplary embodiment, the externalpayloads may be those associated with the fairing 101, payload adapter104, and/or swappable payload/s 105 together with associated harnesses,outer fairing rail 102 and the inner payload rail 103 of the embodimentof FIGS. 1A, 2A and 4A. In such an exemplary embodiment, payloads may inone embodiment be assigned notional installation locations on the outerfairing rail 102 and the inner payload rail 103 of the embodiment ofFIGS. 1A, 2A and 4A. In another exemplary embodiment, the externalpayloads may be those associated with the fairing 101, payload adapter104, and swappable payload/s 105 with associated harnesses, fittings152, and mounting adapter section/s 154 of the embodiment of FIGS.1B-1C1, 2B and 4B-4C. In such an exemplary embodiment, payloads may inone embodiment be assigned notional installation locations on payloadrail/s 122 and/or hardpoints 119 of mounting adapter section/s 154 ofthe embodiment of FIGS. 1B-1C1, 2B and 4B-4C. In any case, the shapes ofthe outer mold line of each different external payload configuration1150 of FIG. 11B is used to derive aerodynamic load during varyingflight conditions for that given configuration 1150, e.g., using toolssuch as computer-based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) executing onone or more processing devices of a computer work station or othersuitable computing platform. Examples of such computer-based CFDinclude, but are not limited to, the Open Source Field Operation AndManipulation (OpenFOAM) CFD software package that has full Navier-Stokescapability, and that is available from the OpenFOAM Foundation.

In step 1102, equipment and internal payload weight associated withswappable payloads 105 of FIG. 11B, but to be located interior to thefuselage 180, is also considered positionally such as shown in FIG. 11C.Examples of such equipment include, but are not limited to, internalfuselage payload components (e.g., such as mission equipment 1170 andassociated wiring, rack structures 1172, seating 1174, workstations1176, crew 1178, and generic cargo 1180) that are located positionallyfor each different configuration 1160 a, 1160 b, etc. (e.g., as neededor desired to meet customer requirements, operation workflow, and inconsideration of aircraft Center-of-Gravity (CG) management and externalpayloads). In one exemplary embodiment, the interior fuselage payloadsfor an RPS configuration 1190 may be reserved for undefined equipmentwhich may advantageously be rolled-on and rolled-off (RORO) asdetermined by mission requirements and on a mission-by-mission basis. Insuch a case, RORO areas 1191 shown in FIG. 11D may be defined byfuselage station and load limits. For example, 1191 a could bedesignated in the ICD as RORO Area 1 with an associated payload weightlimit of 200 lbs located between fuselage station FS-274 and FS-296.Items 1191 b, 1191 c and 1191 d may be similarly designated withfuselage station locations and weight limits assigned in the ICD.

Step 1104 of FIG. 11A uses the results of step 1102 to determine loadconditions for which the baseline RPS is expected to accommodate. In oneembodiment, the results of step 1104 may be similar to that as shown inFIG. 9, except that the unmodified basic aircraft loads are not includedin the data. Step 1106 determines the loads associated with theunmodified, basic aircraft. In this regard, the aerodynamic loads ofstep 1106 are usually much smaller compared to the aerodynamic loads ofstep 1104, the external inertial loads of step 1106 are usually verysmall compared to the external inertial loads of step 1104, and theinternal inertial loads of step 1106 are often similar magnitudecompared to the internal inertial loads of step 1104. As shown in FIG.11A, the results of steps 1104 and 1106 are combined in step 1108. Theresult of step 1108 defines the overall loads associated with eachfuselage station. The individual load components (aerodynamic, externalpayload inertial and internal payload inertial) may be summed byfuselage station to produce a result such as shown in FIG. 9.

Still referring to FIG. 11A, the results of step 1108 may be assessed bymaking iterative adjustments to the placement of payloads 105 in step1110 (e.g., by using a processing device of a computer workstation(e.g., Apple based computer workstation or Windows (PC) based computerworkstation) or other suitable computing device that is runningiterative software and/or firmware to iteratively adjust and re-evaluateplacement of payloads 105, and/or by design engineers that may makeadjustments to the placement of payloads) until the results of 1110 aresatisfactory.

For example, in one exemplary embodiment, results of step 1108 may beassessed by making iterative adjustments to the placement of payloads105 in step 1110 until the payload placement results of step 1110 arefound to meet coincidental requirements of desired internal and externalpayloads while at the same time remaining in compliance with structuraland operational limits and requirements of the aircraft 150 given theability to implement structural modifications for related sections ofthe aircraft in step 1116 to meet such limits and requirements. Suchstructural and operational limits/requirements include, for example,aircraft weight limits, aircraft center of gravity balance limits, basicaircraft compartmental loading design limits and fuel and crew payloadrequirements, as well as other requirements of a given application suchas in consideration of human factors (e.g., clearances for egress, fieldof view, reach, etc.), in consideration of wire harness installations,maintenance access, etc. Future growth margin for the RSP loads envelopemay be also be optionally considered in step 1110, e.g., by assessingthe space, weight and weight distribution requirements of desiredpayload combinations against aircraft weight limits, aircraft center ofgravity balance limits, and compartmental loading design limits todetermine what excess margin of payload weight or space may exist thatcan be considered as payload growth margin.

In FIG. 11A, the design process continues to step 1112 where the 1Gfuselage load cases (multiplied by flight condition factors for flightconditions e.g., gust flight loads, accelerated turning loads, etc.),shear, and bending moment envelope curves are calculated for the resultsof step 1110. The fuselage bending moment curve of FIG. 10 is an exampleresult of step 1112. The curve of FIG. 10 is compared to a similar curveprovided by the aircraft OEM in step 1114. The curve of FIG. 10 must beequal to or less than the similar aircraft OEM curve for there to be noadditional fuselage 180 structural reinforcements required to sustainthe loads of the RPS in combination with those of the basic aircraft. Ifthe curve of FIG. 10 does not fall within the limits of the OEM curve inthe comparison of step 1114, aircraft modifications may be developedusing the analysis created by the design flow 1102 through steps 1114 tocreate aircraft modifications required to accommodate the RPS and theloads established RPS loads envelope in step 1116 (e.g., by using aprocessing device executing software and/or firmware logic toiteratively apply structural modifications to areas falling outside theOEM curve limits and/or by engineering team analysis of the analysis ofsteps 1102 to 1114 in view of the OEM curve limits). Although describedherein in relation to OEM aircraft structural configuration, it will beunderstood that the methodology of FIG. 11 and other aspects of thedisclosed systems and methods may be applied to any existing aircraftstructural configuration (e.g., including existing non-OEMconfigurations) to provide a RPS with desired or needed RPS loadenvelope and payload carrying capabilities to the aircraft.

The aircraft modifications of step 1116 are structural in nature and mayappear or be provided in one embodiment externally as externalstructural modifications 1196 made to the external OEM aircraftstructure (e.g., added external structural modification components suchas skin doublers, triplers, straps, etc.) such as shown in FIG. 11E,and/or internally as internal structural modifications made to the OEMaircraft internal structure, for example, in the form of added internalstructural modification components such as strengthened frames 1197(e.g., doublers, triplers, caps, etc.), intercostals 1198, clips, radiusblocks, etc. (as shown in FIG. 11F together with unmodified OEMstructural frame components 1199). In each of FIGS. 11E and 11F,unmodified existing structure of aircraft 150 is shown in dashedoutline, with structural modifications of step 1116 shown in solidoutline. Referring once again to FIG. 9, the difference in the RPS LoadsEnvelope and the Unmodified Aircraft Loads Envelope is the result of theinterior and exterior structural modifications of FIGS. 11E and 11F. Inthis regard, the difference between the RPS Loads Envelope and theUnmodified Aircraft Loads Envelope curves of FIG. 9 represents theadditional loads capacity added by the aircraft modifications of step1116 to the basic, unmodified (e.g., OEM) aircraft. It will beunderstood that the methodology and structural modifications of FIGS.11A-11F may be employed to design and implement a RPS using payloadrails 103 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 2A or using payload rails122 and/or hardpoints 119 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1B, 1C1 and 2B. Inthis regard, although FIG. 11E illustrates one exemplary embodiment ofstructural modification made in combination with fuselage fittings 152,similar structural modifications 1196 may be made to support fairingrails 102 and/or payload rails 103 together with corresponding fastenersfor attaching rails 102/103 to fuselage 180.

Once the aircraft has been modified according to the methodology ofFIGS. 11A-11F and the RPS system is installed, the operational RPS loadlimits may be determined and published for the aircraft operator, e.g.,in one exemplary embodiment as an Interface Control Document (ICD)discussed previously. In such an embodiment, an end-user may refer tosuch an ICD as discussed previously for determining how to operate theaircraft (i.e., with the RPS installed) while at the same time stayingwithin the designed load limits combination of the aircraft, theinstalled RPS, and the payload in a similar manner as the aircraft PilotOperating Handbook is used to calculate Gross Weight andCenter-of-Gravity during common aircraft operations. This is shown byFIG. 11G which illustrates a RPS ICD Payload Configuration correspondingto one exemplary selected combination of particular external payloadconfiguration 1150 x and integral payload configuration 1160 x for agiven installed RPS configuration on an aircraft 150. In such anexample, the RPS ICD may provide a simplified Weight and Balance diagramwhich takes into consideration the RPS external and internal payloadconfiguration, with multiple such Weight and Balance diagrams beginprovided that correspond to each of multiple possible combinations ofexternal and internal payload configurations, e.g., such as variousdifferent combinations of selected external payload configurations 1150of FIG. 11B together with internal payload configurations 1160 of FIG.11C.

In one embodiment, the flow diagram 1200 of FIG. 12 is used to determinethe RPS operational limits in consideration of the aircraft end-user,operator and/or RPS installer, including for evaluating proposed changesto outer mold line (OML) of fairing 101. The flow diagram 1200 of FIG.12 is primarily used to evaluate custom RPS mission payloadconfigurations (combinations of external and internal payloadconfigurations) which have not been previously evaluated by a baselineRPS design process of the flow diagram 1100 of FIG. 11. In step 1202,the mission system configuration including a given fairing(s) 101, giveninternal payload/s, and given swappable payload/s 105 are defined as aconfiguration associated with a given aircraft mission capabilityrequirement such as the complement of sensors to be operational duringflight operations. The outer mold line (OML) associated with the givenfairing 101 is considered and compared to the OML of the baseline RPSfairing 101. If the OML of the given fairing 101 is the same as that ofthe baseline RPS fairing 101, the flow diagram methodology proceeds tostep 1210. If the OML of the given fairing 101 is not the same as thatof the baseline RPS fairing 101, the flow diagram proceeds to step 1206.In step 1210, the given payload loads are located by RPS section andfuselage station. The results of step 1210 are compared to theestablished RPS loads envelope (from methodology 1100 of FIG. 11) instep 1214. If the given payload loads of step 1210 are determined to bewithin the established RPS loads envelope (RPS envelope such asillustrated in FIG. 9) in step 1214, the flow continues to step 1216. Ifany detail designs are required to operate the mission payloads such asa particular payload and/or electrical harness 114/112 are required or aparticular payload adapter 104, such is manufactured, installed, and theaircraft is operational without requiring new structural analysis andmodification for the aircraft primary structure.

If the loads of step 1210 are determined in step 1214 not to be withinthe established RPS loads envelope of step 1118 of FIG. 11A, the flowcontinues to step 1218 which requires a return to the design flow 1100of FIG. 11A. It is the intent that the process of the exemplary designflow 1100 of FIG. 11A establishes a sufficient RPS loads envelope thatthe result of step 1214 which requires a return to the design flow 1100is an unusual case. It is understood that the design flow 1100 must becompleted at least once to establish an RPS loads envelope andsupporting design for the RPS and modification to the primary aircraftstructure as required. In the case that the OML of fairing 101 isdetermined to be different from the baseline OML fairing 101 in step1204, the OML difference is considered in step 1206.

In order to make the RPS maximally usable in accommodating differingpayloads 105 which may require differing fairings 101, it is allowed toconsider the differences in the fairings 101 and assess the differencesas either minor or major such as defined in the FAA Change Product rule.If the assessment of step 1206 is determined to be a minor change, theaerodynamic loads for the differing fairing 101 are determined in step1212 if required. A slight change in the shape of the fairing 101 OMLmay have no significant bearing on aerodynamic loads and step 1212 isskipped. The operational flow continues with step 1210 as describedelsewhere. A change in the shape of the fairing 101 OML which isconsidered to be minor may have significant differing aerodynamic loadsin which case new aerodynamic loads associated with the fairing 101 areestablished in step 1212. The results of step 1212, if not skipped, arethen considered in step 1210. If the change of the fairing 101 OML whencompared to the baseline fairing 101 OML is determined to be categorizedas major according to the FAA Change Product rule, the design flow 1100of FIG. 11A is once again invoked in step 1208. It is the intent toestablish a baseline fairing 101 OML which produces aerodynamic loads toencompass the anticipated of aerodynamic loads of fairings 101associated with the baseline RPS payloads established in steps 1102 and1104 of design flow 1100 in FIG. 11A such that the baseline RPS loadsenvelope provides maximum utility to the aircraft operator.

In one embodiment, steps of methodology 1200 of FIG. 12 may be used toassess new end-user requirements (including changes to the OML offairing 101 and/or the loads associated with fairing 101) in a mannerthat considers internal and external loads in order to determine if thecombinatorial loads fall within the established RPS loads envelope(e.g., such as established by methodology 1100 of FIG. 1I). If so, thenmuch stress analysis and design work may be bypassed as noted inrelation to step 1216. Thus, even when changes associated with anexisting RPS-equipped aircraft are desired or required (e.g., such asassociated with a change/s to the OML of fairing 101) the combination ofmethodology 1200 of FIG. 12 with an existing RPS installation configuredas described herein may be advantageously implemented in a manner thateliminates or significantly reduces the required scope of engineeringand design detail changes (if any are required), while at the same timedoing so without impacting the established FAA STC(s) associated with anexisting RPS installation. This capability may be further implemented ina manner that provides quick reaction capability to evolving needs of anoperator end-user with minimized non-recurring engineering (NRE)required.

It will be understood that other payload acceptability considerationsmay apply in the practice of the disclosed systems and methods, e.g.,such as overall external payload dimensions versus aircraft location(e.g., to avoid dragging equipment on rotation during takeoff or flaringduring landing), total payload mass at given fuselage station (e.g.,minimum internal fuselage weight contribution to the loads envelope maybe fixed at a given station and thus limiting the maximum acceptableexternal payload and/or aerodynamic load contribution), etc.

It will be understood that other payload acceptability considerationsmay apply in the practice of the disclosed systems and methods, e.g.,such as overall external payload dimensions versus aircraft location(e.g., to avoid dragging equipment on rotation during takeoff or flaringduring landing), total payload mass at given fuselage station (e.g.,minimum internal fuselage weight contribution to the loads envelope maybe fixed at a given station and thus limiting the maximum acceptableexternal payload and/or aerodynamic load contribution), etc.

It will also be understood that one or more of the tasks, functions, ormethodologies described herein (e.g., including those described andillustrated in relation to FIGS. 11A-11G and FIG. 12) may be implementedby a computer program of instructions (e.g., computer readable code suchas firmware code or software code) embodied in a non-transitory tangiblecomputer readable medium (e.g., optical disk, magnetic disk,non-volatile memory device, etc.), in which the computer programcomprising instructions are configured when executed (e.g., executed ona processing device of such as CPU, controller, microcontroller,processor, microprocessor, FPGA, ASIC, PAL, PLA, CPLD, or other suitableprocessing device) to perform one or more steps of the methodologiesdisclosed herein. A computer program of instructions may be stored in oron the non-transitory computer-readable medium residing on or accessibleby one or more processing devices for instructing a given system toexecute the computer program of instructions. The computer program ofinstructions may include an ordered listing of executable instructionsfor implementing logical functions in the device. The executableinstructions may comprise a plurality of code segments operable toinstruct the system to perform the methodology disclosed herein. It willalso be understood that one or more steps of the present methodologiesmay be employed in one or more code segments of the computer program.For example, a code segment executed by the system may include one ormore steps of the disclosed methodologies.

While the invention may be adaptable to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way ofexample and described herein. However, it should be understood that theinvention is not intended to be limited to the particular formsdisclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the differentaspects of the disclosed systems and methods may be utilized in variouscombinations and/or independently. Thus the invention is not limited toonly those combinations shown herein, but rather may include othercombinations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A reconfigurable payload system (RPS), comprisingone or more external payload attachment features mechanically coupled toextend across a given section of a fuselage of an aircraft, the one ormore external payload attachment features being configured to beattached to external payload components, external fairings, or acombination thereof, where the external payload attachment featurescomprise at least one mounting adapter section mechanically coupled tothe aircraft fuselage across the given section of the aircraft fuselage;where the mounting adapter section includes at least one of: one or morepayload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locationsprovided on each rail that are configured to align with and beselectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of aninterchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastenerlocation spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of therail fastener locations; or multiple payload hardpoints havingregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations provided on each payloadhardpoint that are configured to align with and be selectably attachedto mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeable externalpayload component that has a payload fastener location spacing that iscomplementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastenerlocations; and where the mounting adapter section is mechanicallycoupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage suchthat such that: the rail fastener location spacing remains regularacross the payload rail of the mounting adapter section so as to allowthe mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable externalpayload component to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adapter sectionto mechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component tothe aircraft fuselage, or the hardpoint fastener location spacingremains regular across the payload hardpoints of the mounting adaptersection so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations of theinterchangeable external payload component to align with andsimultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastenerlocations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage. 2.The RPS of claim 1, where the mounting adapter section includes two ormore parallel payload rails configured to be selectably attached tomultiple different types of interchangeable external payload components,each of the payload rails being configured with multipleregularly-spaced rail fastener locations.
 3. The RPS of claim 1, wherethe mounting adapter section includes multiple payload hardpointsconfigured to be selectably attached to multiple different types ofinterchangeable external payload components, each of the payloadhardpoints being configured with a hardpoint fastener location and thepayload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that thespacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced. 4.The RPS of claim 1, where the external payload attachment featurescomprise multiple separate mounting adapter sections mechanicallycoupled to the aircraft fuselage in adjacent end-to-end manner to extendlongitudinally across the given section of the aircraft fuselage; whereeach of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includes atleast one of: one or more payload rails having multiple regularly-spacedrail fastener locations provided on each rail that are configured toalign with and be selectably attached to mating payload fastenerlocations of an interchangeable external payload component that has apayload fastener location spacing that is complementary to the regularspacing of the rail fastener locations; or multiple payload hardpointsthat are each configured with a hardpoint fastener location with thepayload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that thespacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced andconfigured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payloadfastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component thathas a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to theregular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations; and where themultiple mounting adapter sections are mechanically coupled to extendacross the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that:the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payloadrails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow themating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable externalpayload component to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multipleseparate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage, orthe hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across thepayload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections so as toallow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeableexternal payload component to align with and simultaneously attach tomating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more ofthe multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couplethe interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage.5. The RPS of claim 4, where each of the multiple separate mountingadapter sections includes: one or more payload rails having multipleregularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that areconfigured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payloadfastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component thathas a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to theregular spacing of the rail fastener locations; and where the multiplemounting adapter sections are mechanically coupled to extend across thegiven section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that the railfastener location spacing remains regular across the payload rails ofthe different mounting adapter sections so as to allow the matingpayload fastener locations of the interchangeable external payloadcomponent to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multipleseparate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage. 6.The RPS of claim 4, where each of the multiple separate mounting adaptersections includes: multiple payload hardpoints that are each configuredwith a hardpoint fastener location with the payload hardpoints beingspaced apart from each other such that the spacing between the hardpointfastener locations is regularly spaced and configured to align with andbe selectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of aninterchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastenerlocation spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of thehardpoint fastener locations; and where the multiple mounting adaptersections are mechanically coupled to extend across the given section ofthe aircraft fuselage such that such that the hardpoint fastenerlocation spacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of thedifferent mounting adapter sections so as to allow the mating payloadfastener locations of the interchangeable external payload component toalign with and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separatemounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeableexternal payload component to the aircraft fuselage.
 7. A method ofoperating an aircraft, comprising: providing one or more externalpayload attachment features mechanically coupled to extend across agiven section of a fuselage of the aircraft; and attaching externalpayload components, external fairings, or a combination thereof to theone or more external payload attachment features; where the externalpayload attachment features comprise at least one mounting adaptersection mechanically coupled to the aircraft fuselage across the givensection of the aircraft fuselage, the mounting adapter section includingat least one of: one or more payload rails having multipleregularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that areconfigured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payloadfastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component thathas a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to theregular spacing of the rail fastener locations, or multiple payloadhardpoints having regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations providedon each payload hardpoint that are configured to align with and beselectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of aninterchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastenerlocation spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of thehardpoint fastener locations; and where the mounting adapter section ismechanically coupled to extend across the given section of the aircraftfuselage such that such that: the rail fastener location spacing remainsregular across the payload rail of the mounting adapter section so as toallow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeableexternal payload component to align with and simultaneously attach tomating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adaptersection to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payloadcomponent to the aircraft fuselage, or the hardpoint fastener locationspacing remains regular across the payload hardpoints of the mountingadapter section so as to allow the mating payload fastener locations ofthe interchangeable external payload component to align with andsimultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastenerlocations on the mounting adapter section to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage. 8.The method of claim 7, where the mounting adapter section includes twoor more parallel payload rails, each of the payload rails beingconfigured with multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations; andwhere the method further comprising selectably attaching multipledifferent types of interchangeable external payload components to atleast a portion of the multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locationsof the payload rails.
 9. The method of claim 7, where the mountingadapter section includes multiple payload hardpoints, each of thepayload hardpoints being configured with a hardpoint fastener locationand the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such thatthe spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularlyspaced; and where the method further comprises selectably attachingmultiple different types of interchangeable to at least portion of theregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations.
 10. The method of claim7, where the external payload attachment features comprise multipleseparate mounting adapter sections mechanically coupled to the aircraftfuselage in adjacent end-to-end manner to extend longitudinally acrossthe given section of the aircraft fuselage; where each of the multipleseparate mounting adapter sections includes at least one of: one or morepayload rails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locationsprovided on each rail that are configured to align with and beselectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of aninterchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastenerlocation spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of therail fastener locations; or multiple payload hardpoints that are eachconfigured with a hardpoint fastener location with the payloadhardpoints being spaced apart from each other such that the spacingbetween the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spaced andconfigured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payloadfastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component thathas a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to theregular spacing of the hardpoint fastener locations; and where themultiple mounting adapter sections are mechanically coupled to extendacross the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that:the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payloadrails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow themating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable externalpayload component to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multipleseparate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage, orthe hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across thepayload hardpoints of the different mounting adapter sections so as toallow the mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeableexternal payload component to align with and simultaneously attach tomating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more ofthe multiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couplethe interchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage;and where the method further comprises: aligning and attaching payloadfastener locations of an interchangeable external payload componentsimultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on twoor more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections tomechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component tothe aircraft fuselage, or aligning and attaching payload fastenerlocations of an interchangeable external payload componentsimultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locationson two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections tomechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component tothe aircraft fuselage.
 11. The method of claim 10, where each of themultiple separate mounting adapter sections includes one or more payloadrails having multiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations providedon each rail that are configured to align with and be selectablyattached to mating payload fastener locations of an interchangeableexternal payload component that has a payload fastener location spacingthat is complementary to the regular spacing of the rail fastenerlocations, the multiple mounting adapter sections being mechanicallycoupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage suchthat the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across thepayload rails of the different mounting adapter sections; and where themethod further comprises: aligning and attaching payload fastenerlocations of an interchangeable external payload componentsimultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on twoor more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections tomechanically couple the interchangeable external payload component tothe aircraft fuselage.
 12. The method of claim 10, where each of themultiple separate mounting adapter sections includes multiple payloadhardpoints that are each configured with a hardpoint fastener locationwith the payload hardpoints being spaced apart from each other such thatthe spacing between the hardpoint fastener locations is regularly spacedand configured to align with and be selectably attached to matingpayload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payloadcomponent that has a payload fastener location spacing that iscomplementary to the regular spacing of the hardpoint fastenerlocations, the multiple mounting adapter sections being mechanicallycoupled to extend across the given section of the aircraft fuselage suchthat such that the hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regularacross the payload hardpoints of the different mounting adaptersections; and where the method further comprises: aligning and attachingpayload fastener locations of an interchangeable external payloadcomponent simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastenerlocations on two or more of the multiple separate mounting adaptersections to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payloadcomponent to the aircraft fuselage.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherethe external payload attachment features comprise multiple separatemounting adapter sections; where the step of providing comprisesmechanically coupling the multiple separate mounting adapter sections tothe aircraft fuselage in adjacent end-to-end manner to extendlongitudinally across the given section of the aircraft fuselage; andwhere each of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections includesat least one of: one or more payload rails having multipleregularly-spaced rail fastener locations provided on each rail that areconfigured to align with and be selectably attached to mating payloadfastener locations of an interchangeable external payload component thathas a payload fastener location spacing that is complementary to theregular spacing of the rail fastener locations; or multiple payloadhardpoints having regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations providedon each payload hardpoint that are configured to align with and beselectably attached to mating payload fastener locations of aninterchangeable external payload component that has a payload fastenerlocation spacing that is complementary to the regular spacing of thehardpoint fastener locations; and where the method further comprisesmechanically coupling the multiple mounting adapter sections to extendacross the given section of the aircraft fuselage such that such that:the rail fastener location spacing remains regular across the payloadrails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allow themating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable externalpayload component to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multipleseparate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage, orthe hardpoint fastener location spacing remains regular across thepayload rails of the different mounting adapter sections so as to allowthe mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeable externalpayload component to align with and simultaneously attach to matingregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of themultiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage. 14.The method of claim 10, further comprising: selecting a first set of oneor more interchangeable external payload components; aligning andattaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeableexternal payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spacedrail fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separate mountingadapter sections to mechanically couple the first set of interchangeableexternal payload components to the aircraft fuselage, or aligning andattaching payload fastener locations of the first set of interchangeableexternal payload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations on two or more of the multiple separatemounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the first set ofinterchangeable external payload component to the aircraft fuselage; andthen using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the mechanicallycoupled first set of one or more external payload components.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising: then selecting a second anddifferent set of one or more external payload components; aligning andattaching payload fastener locations of the second set ofinterchangeable external payload components simultaneously to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations on two or more of the multipleseparate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple the second setof interchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage,or aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of the second setof interchangeable external payload components simultaneously to matingregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations on two or more of themultiple separate mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple thesecond set of interchangeable external payload component to the aircraftfuselage; and then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission withthe mechanically coupled second set of one or more external payloadcomponents after flying the first mission.
 16. The method of claim 15,where the components of the second set of payload components havedifferent dimensions and different weight than the components of thefirst set of payload components; where the aircraft has a longitudinalaxis; and where each of the components of the first and second sets ofpayload components have the same configuration and spacing of payloadfastener location pattern that is complementary to and configured toalign and mate with different combinations of the regularly-spaced railfastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locationsof the multiple separate mounting adapter sections to allow each of theindividual payload components of each of the first and second sets ofpayload components to be selectably positioned and repositioned on themultiple separate mounting adapter sections in any one of multipledifferent longitudinal positions relative to the longitudinal axis ofthe aircraft.
 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising: thenremoving the first set of one or more external payload components fromaircraft after flying the first mission; aligning and attaching payloadfastener locations of the first set of interchangeable external payloadcomponents simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sectionsmounted on a second and different aircraft to mechanically couple thefirst set of interchangeable external payload components to a fuselageof the second aircraft, or aligning and attaching payload fastenerlocations of the first set of interchangeable external payloadcomponents simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced hardpoint fastenerlocations on two or more multiple separate mounting adapter sectionsmounted on the second and different aircraft to mechanically couple thesecond set of interchangeable external payload components to thefuselage of the second aircraft; and then using the second and differentaircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled first setof one or more external payload components after flying the firstmission.
 18. The method of claim 17, where at least the number or lengthof the multiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on the secondand different aircraft is different than the number or length of themultiple separate mounting adapter sections mounted on a first aircraftof the first mission; and where: the rail fastener location spacingremains regular across the payload rail of the mounting adapter sectionsof the fuselage of each of the first and second aircraft so as to allowthe same mating payload fastener locations of the interchangeableexternal payload component to align with and simultaneously attach tomating regularly-spaced rail fastener locations on the mounting adaptersections of each of the first and second aircraft to mechanically couplethe same interchangeable external payload component to the aircraftfuselage of each of the first and second aircraft, or the hardpointfastener location spacing remains regular across the payload hardpointsof the mounting adapter sections of the fuselage of each of the firstand second aircraft so as to allow the same mating payload fastenerlocations of the interchangeable external payload component to alignwith and simultaneously attach to mating regularly-spaced hardpointfastener locations on the mounting adapter sections of each of the firstand second aircraft to mechanically couple the same interchangeableexternal payload component to the aircraft fuselage of each of the firstand second aircraft.
 19. The method of claim 7, further comprising:aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or moreinterchangeable external payload components simultaneously to multipleregularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations of a first set of one or more modularmounting adapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend acrossa given section of the fuselage of the aircraft by at least a portion ofa defined pattern of fuselage fittings attached to the aircraft, each ofthe modular mounting adapter sections having a given length and beingconfigured to mechanically couple the interchangeable external payloadcomponents to the aircraft fuselage; then using the aircraft to fly afirst mission with the one or more external payload componentsmechanically coupled to the first set of modular mounting adaptersections; then removing the interchangeable external payload componentsfrom the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and removing thefirst set of modular mounting adapter sections from the fuselagefittings; then using at least a portion of the same defined pattern offuselage fittings to mechanically couple a second set of one or moremodular mounting adapter sections to extend across at least a portion ofthe same given section of the fuselage of the aircraft, each of thesecond set of modular mounting adapter sections having a length andbeing configured to mechanically couple the interchangeable externalpayload components to the aircraft fuselage on the aircraft, the secondset of modular mounting adapter sections including a different number ofmodular mounting adapter sections than the first set of modular mountingadapter sections and/or including one or more modular mounting adaptersections having a length that is different than any of the modularmounting adapter sections of the first set of modular mounting adaptersections; then aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of oneor more interchangeable external payload components simultaneously tomultiple regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/orregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the second set ofmodular mounting adapter sections to mechanically couple theinterchangeable external payload components to the aircraft fuselage;and then using the same aircraft to fly a second mission with the one ormore external payload components mechanically coupled to the second setof modular mounting adapter sections; where a spacing and periodicity ofthe regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the second set ofmodular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacing andperiodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations of the firstset of modular mounting adapter sections and/or where a spacing andperiodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of thesecond set of modular mounting adapter sections is the same as a spacingand periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations ofthe first set of modular mounting adapter sections such that the sameconfiguration and spacing of payload fastener location pattern that iscomplementary to and configured to align and mate with theregularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mountingadapter sections is also complementary to and configured to align andmate with the regularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/orregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set ofmodular mounting adapter sections.
 20. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising: aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of a firstinterchangeable external payload component simultaneously to multipleregularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations of a set of one or more modular mountingadapter sections that are mechanically coupled to extend across a givensection of the fuselage of the aircraft; then using the aircraft to flya first mission with the first interchangeable external payloadcomponent mechanically coupled to the set of modular mounting adaptersections;
 21. The method of claim 7, further comprising: aligning andattaching payload fastener locations of s interchangeable externalpayload components simultaneously to mating regularly-spaced railfastener locations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locationsof a first set of one or more modular mounting adapter sections that aremechanically coupled to extend across a given section of the fuselage ofthe aircraft by at least a portion of a defined pattern of fuselagefittings attached to the aircraft, each of the modular mounting adaptersections having a given length and being configured to mechanicallycouple the interchangeable external payload components to the aircraftfuselage; then using the aircraft to fly a first mission with the one ormore external payload components mechanically coupled to the first setof modular mounting adapter sections; then removing the first set ofmodular mounting adapter sections from the fuselage fittings and usingat least a portion of the same defined pattern of fuselage fittings tomechanically couple a second set of one or more modular mounting adaptersections to extend across at least a portion of the same given sectionof the fuselage of the aircraft, each of the second set of modularmounting adapter sections having a length and being configured tomechanically couple the interchangeable external payload components tothe aircraft fuselage on the aircraft, the second set of modularmounting adapter sections including a different number of modularmounting adapter sections than the first set of modular mounting adaptersections and/or including one or more modular mounting adapter sectionshaving a length that is different than any of the modular mountingadapter sections of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections;then aligning and attaching payload fastener locations of one or moreinterchangeable external payload components simultaneously to matingregularly-spaced rail fastener locations and/or regularly-spacedhardpoint fastener locations of the second set of modular mountingadapter sections to mechanically couple the interchangeable externalpayload components to the aircraft fuselage; and then using the sameaircraft to fly a second mission with the mechanically coupled one ormore external payload components mechanically coupled to the second setof two or more of the multiple separate mounting adapter sections; wherea spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations of the second set of modular mounting adapter sections is thesame as a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations of the first set of modular mounting adapter sections and/orwhere a spacing and periodicity of the regularly-spaced hardpointfastener locations of the second set of modular mounting adaptersections is the same as a spacing and periodicity of theregularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of the first set ofmodular mounting adapter sections such that the same configuration andspacing of payload fastener locations that is complementary to andconfigured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of thesecond set of modular mounting adapter sections is also complementary toand configured to align and mate with the regularly-spaced rail fastenerlocations and/or regularly-spaced hardpoint fastener locations of thefirst set of modular mounting adapter sections.
 22. A RPS disconnectpanel assembly, comprising: a disconnect receptacle block configured forattachment to the interior of an aircraft fuselage, the disconnectreceptacle block including a receptacle body having a receptacle openingdefined to extend through the block and to be at least partially alignedwith an aperture defined in an outer skin of the aircraft fuselage whenattached to the interior of the aircraft fuselage; and a disconnect plugblock having a plug body, the plug body having outer dimensions that arecomplementary in shape to inner dimensions of the receptacle openingdefined through the receptacle body of the disconnect receptacle blocksuch that the plug body is configured to be received in the receptacleopening in mated relationship inside the aircraft fuselage opposite theaperture defined in the outer skin of the aircraft fuselage.
 23. The RPSdisconnect panel assembly of claim 17, where the plug body of thedisconnection plug block comprises a bottom plate configured to extendacross and adjacent to the receptacle opening when the disconnectionplug block is matingly received in the receptacle opening of thedisconnect receptacle block; and where one or more through-holes aredefined to extend through the bottom plate of the plug body to allowrespective payload interfaces line to extend via coupled connectorsthrough the though-holes from an interior of the fuselage to an exteriorof the fuselage.
 24. The RPS disconnect panel assembly of claim 18,where the one or more through-holes are defined to extend through thebottom plate of the plug body to allow different types of payloadinterfaces lines to be interchangeably extended through the though-holefrom an interior of the fuselage to an exterior of the fuselage.
 25. TheRPS disconnect panel assembly of claim 18, where the payload interfacelines comprise different types of interchangeable electrical harnesses.